Gov. Mike Dunleavy received treatment for skin cancer on Aug. 8.
“Governor Dunleavy underwent a procedure this afternoon to address recently detected basal cell carcinoma,” a short statement on the governor’s Facebook page noted. “The Governor is expected to make a full recovery.”
Basal cell carcinoma is the most common type of skin cancer, with nearly 4.5 million cases diagnosed in the United States annually. It is typically diagnosed by performing a biopsy, in which tissue from the tumor is removed. The tissue is then sent to a pathologist, who looks under a microscope for abnormalities in the cells.
In 2019, Dunleavy received treatment for the same type of skin cancer on his forehead. When caught early, basal cell carcinoma is considered a mild form of cancer, which can be managed with local treatments, topical medications or minor surgical procedures.
