Jill Biden has skin cancer removed from face and chest, doctor says

The First Lady is ‘in good spirits’ and will return to the White House following a procedure at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre

Surgeons at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre removed two skin cancer lesions from first lady Jill Biden’s face and chest, Physician to the President Kevin O’Connor said on Wednesday.

In a memorandum to Dr Biden’s press secretary released by the White House, Dr O’Connor said the first lady initially underwent a “scheduled outpatient procedure, commonly known as Mohs surgery, to remove and examine a small lesion above her right eye”.

He said the procedure “confirmed” that the facial lesion removed was a basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer, and also noted that doctors removed a second lesion above her left eye that was noticed under the surgical lighting.

Dr O’Connor also said surgeons identified an “additional area of concern” on the “left side of the first lady’s chest” that appeared “consistent” with the same type of skin cancer, leading to that lesion also being “excised” with the same procedure used to remove the skin cancer above Dr Biden’s eye earlier in the day.

“Basal cell carcinoma lesions do not tend to "spread" or metastasize, as some more serious skin cancers such as melanoma or squamous cell carcinoma are known to do. They do, however, have the potential to increase in size, resulting in a more significant issue as well as increased challenges for surgical removal,” he said.

The physician added that Dr Biden is “in good spirits” and “feeling well” despite “some facial swelling and bruising,” and said she will return to the White House later on Wednesday.