The President of the United States had a benign tumor in his colon removed last week, which according to the doctors who treated him was “precancerous”. Joe Biden is 79 years old and according to the doctors he is in good general health.
He had already had a similar polyp removed in 2008.
President Joe Biden had a precancerous tumor removed
“This is a slow-growing benign lesion, but we believe it is precancerous,” White House physician Kevin O’Connor said in a statement issued Wednesday night.
According to the doctor, no further treatment is required at this time. He defined the tumor as a “tubular adenoma” and recommended another colonoscopy in about seven to 10 years.
Biden underwent anesthesia for the colonoscopy, and the vice president, Kamala Harris, assumed his powers in the 85 minutes that the president was unconscious on Friday, November 19.
This is something that has happened with medical interventions to other presidents, such as Ronald Reagan or George Bush.
It is common for U.S. presidents to undergo annual checkups to make sure they are in good health and able to perform their duties.
After Biden’s visit to Walter Reed’s hospital center outside the capital, his doctor said that “the president remains a healthy, vigorous man” who is “in a position to successfully execute the duties of the presidency, including those of executive command, head of state and commander in chief.”
Dr.
O’Connor said after his examination that Biden has difficulty walking because of a series of injuries – he suffered a fractured right foot playing with his dog about a year ago – and suffers from metatarsalgia due to nerve damage in the foot.
