US first lady Jill Biden has lengthy surgery to remove skin lesions

BETHESDA: US first lady Jill Biden underwent surgery on Wednesday to remove two skin lesions on her face and a third on her chest, the White House physician said.

The 71-year-old first lady, accompanied by President Joe Biden, spent more than eight hours at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for the outpatient procedure.

All cancerous tissue was removed, the White House physician said.

The president returned to the White House later on Wednesday afternoon. The first lady was returning separately, her office said.

Jill Biden went to the hospital for removal of a skin lesion above her right eye. White House physician Kevin O'Connor said in a statement that that procedure "confirmed that the small lesion was basal cell carcinoma."

"All cancerous tissue was successfully removed, and the margins were clear of any residual skin cancer cells. We will monitor the area closely as it heals but do not anticipate any more procedures will be needed," he said.

In addition, a small lesion was discovered on Jill Biden's left eyelid and it was fully excised and sent for further examination, O'Connor said.

During her preoperative consultation, an additional "area of concern" was identified on the left side of the first lady's chest, and it was consistent with potential basal cell carcinoma, O'Connor said.

This lesion also was excised and basal cell carcinoma was confirmed. "All cancerous tissue was successfully removed," O'Connor said.

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, the doctor added.

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.

Jill Biden was experiencing some facial swelling and bruising but was in good spirits and feeling well, O'Connor said.

The president and first lady arrived at the Walter Reed facility in suburban Bethesda, Maryland, just after 8 a.m. EST on Wednesday, and spent all day there.

President Biden "wanted to be there to support her," White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. "They've been married for 45 years now and he wanted to be there with his wife."

The first lady underwent a common procedure known as Mohs surgery to remove and definitively examine the tissue.

Mohs surgery involves cutting away thin layers of skin after which each is looked at closely for signs of cancer. The process continues until there is no sign of cancer, preserving healthy tissue and reducing the need for further treatment.

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