Joe Biden undergoes surgery to remove skin cancer lesions

Anadolu, Philippine News Agency

FILE: President Joe Biden attends a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council, Wednesday, July 12, 2023 at the NATO Summit in Vilnius Lithuania.(Official White House Photo by Adam Schultz via President Joe Biden/Facebook)

ISTANBUL – Former US President Joe Biden recently underwent Mohs surgery to remove skin cancer lesions, a spokesperson confirmed to CNN on Thursday.

The exact date of the procedure was not disclosed, but footage circulating online showed Biden, 82, with a scar on his forehead, according to CNN’s report.

Mohs surgery is a technique in which thin layers of skin are removed and examined under a microscope until no cancer cells remain.

It is often used for recurring or rapidly growing lesions in sensitive areas, such as the face and hands.

Biden previously had a basal cell carcinoma removed from his chest in 2023 while in office.

At the time, White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor said “all cancerous tissue was successfully removed” and that Biden would continue “dermatological surveillance.”

The former president was diagnosed in May with an aggressive form of prostate cancer that has spread to his bones. He has since begun oral treatment and remains optimistic.

“The expectation is we’re going to be able to beat this,” Biden told CNN, adding, “It’s not in any organ, it’s in — my bones are strong, it hadn’t penetrated. So, I’m feeling good.” (Anadolu)