Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Biden Had Basal Cell Carcinoma Lesion Removed During February Physical
The New York Times: Lesion Removed During Biden’s Physical Was Cancerous
President Biden had a cancerous lesion removed from his chest during his physical last month, the president’s doctor said Friday. The existence of the lesion was included in the summary of Mr. Biden’s physical at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in mid-February. On Friday, Dr. Kevin C. O’Connor, the president’s longtime physician, said a biopsy confirmed that it was basal cell carcinoma, a common and relatively unaggressive form of skin cancer. (Rogers, 3/3)
Politico: Biopsy Found Biden’s Skin Lesion Was A Common Skin Cancer, White House Doctor Says
In a memo on Friday, the president’s doctor noted that basal cell lesions “do not tend to ‘spread’ or metastasize,” as other serious skin cancers do. During Biden’s physical last month, the area of the skin on his chest was removed via electrodesiccation and curettage, a common skin cancer treatment that involves scraping and removing the skin with a sharp instrument and a high-frequency electric current. The doctor sent the lesion for a biopsy on Feb. 16. “The site of the biopsy has healed nicely and the President will continue dermatologic surveillance as part of his ongoing comprehensive health care,” Kevin O’Connor, the president’s physician, wrote Friday. (Ward, 3/3)
Stat: What Is Basal Cell Carcinoma, The Skin Cancer Biden Just Had
Just over two weeks ago, President Biden had skin cancer, but today, he doesn’t. According to a White House physician’s memo on Friday, doctors at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center removed a lesion off his chest on Feb. 16, treated the area around the tumor site, and that was that. The president’s cancer might be cause for more concern were it not for the type: basal cell carcinoma. (Chen and Cohrs, 3/3)
The Hill: Ronny Jackson Jabs Biden Over Cancerous Lesion Removal
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), who was a White House doctor during the Obama and Trump administrations, jabbed President Biden on Sunday when asked about his cancerous lesion removal earlier this week. (Sforza, 3/5)
In other news about cancer —
Stat: MRNA Vaccine For HPV-Associated Cancers Shows Promise In Mice
The HPV vaccine is a slam dunk in preventing the vast majority of cancers related to the infection — namely tumors of the head and neck, anus, penis, vagina, and cervix. But that’s only for people who got shots early enough to prevent HPV infection. Everyone else must hope for other vaccines that scientists are developing to treat existing HPV-associated cancer. A new study on that front offers some promising, if early, results in mice. (Chen, 3/3)
The New York Times: How A.I. Is Being Used To Detect Cancer That Doctors Miss
Advancements in A.I. are beginning to deliver breakthroughs in breast cancer screening by detecting the signs that doctors miss. So far, the technology is showing an impressive ability to spot cancer at least as well as human radiologists, according to early results and radiologists, in what is one of the most tangible signs to date of how A.I. can improve public health. (Stariano and Metz, 3/5)
The Boston Globe: Foundation Stirs Controversy By Charging Cancer Patients $83,000 For Unproven But Promising Experimental Drug
It has been more than 11 years since Julia Young was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer, and two years since it spread to her lymph system. ... Still, when doctors told her last year that the cancer was growing despite two operations, radiation therapy, and a fifth regimen of chemotherapy, the retired business-meeting facilitator decided to do something unorthodox: spend $83,000 out of pocket on an unproven experimental cancer vaccine. (Saltzman, 3/4)
