By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Republican Sen. John McCain, a three-time melanoma survivor, said Monday he had had a small patch of skin removed from his face and biopsied as part of a regular checkup with his dermatologist.
"She said that I was doing fine," McCain told reporters on a presidential campaign visit to an oil rig where he spoke briefly about his proposed energy plan. "She took a small little nick from my cheek, as she does regularly, and that will be biopsied just to make sure everything is fine."
The Arizona senator underwent the procedure in Phoenix during a checkup he undergoes every three months. He sported a small bandage on his upper right cheek on his campaign plane but had removed it by the time he spoke with reporters. A small, dark spot stood out on his face.
The campaign later issued a statement from Michael Yardley, chair of public affairs at the Mayo Clinic.
"This morning, as part of his commitment to monitor his dermatological health on a regular basis, Senator John McCain visited the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, for a routine examination.
As a precaution, a biopsy was ordered of a very small area on Senator McCain's right cheek. This is a routine minor procedure."