WASHINGTON (AFP) — Republican White House hopeful John McCain, who has been treated for skin cancer in the past, said Monday he had a small mole removed from his face during a routine dermatological check-up.
"As I do every three months, I visited my dermatologist this morning," the Arizona senator told reporters.
"She said that I was doing fine, took a small, little nick from my cheek as she does regularly, and that will be biopsied just to make sure that everything is fine," he said.
McCain, 71, had four bouts of melanoma between 1993 and 2000. He appeared in public wearing a small bandage on his right temple.
The Mayo Clinic in Arizona, where McCain was treated, said it was "a routine, minor procedure" and the biopsy was precautionary.
In a later interview with CNN's Larry King Live, McCain said the procedure was a frequent occurrence "for those of us who, when we were young, had great exposure to the sun.
"As you know, my dad was in the navy and lived in places where I went to the beach a lot and now I'm paying a price for that."
McCain said melanoma can be avoided if caught in time.
"If you have a discoloration, you have anything ... let the dermatologist check it out."
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