‘Nose Is Clean’ After 2nd Skin Surgery, Reagan Says

President Reagan disclosed today that he had additional cancer cells removed from a patch of skin on his nose Thursday, but said that doctors have now told him “my nose is clean.”

Reagan made the announcement as he appeared before reporters at the White House to discuss the seizure of the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro and the U.S. military operation Thursday that led to the apprehension of the hijackers.

Noting a visible adhesive patch on his nose, Reagan opened his brief news conference by raising the subject himself. “Not wanting you to lose any sleep at night, let me explain the patch on my nose,” he said with a smile.

Patch of Skin

The appearance of a small scar on his nose in early August forced the White House to disclose that Reagan had undergone minor surgery for the removal of a small patch of skin later diagnosed as basal cell epithelioma, the most common form of skin cancer and one often caused by excessive exposure to the sun.

“The doctor has been keeping track of me since the first operation for skin cancer on my nose and felt that there was some additional work needed,” Reagan said.

“So yesterday afternoon, when we came back from Chicago, I went over there in the White House to the doctor’s office and he did the additional work.

“The biopsy,” he said, “revealed there were some cancer cells, and now I have a verdict of my nose is clean.”

Third Cancer Incident

The procedure performed Thursday was Reagan’s third bout with cancer in three months.

On July 13, doctors at Bethesda Naval Hospital removed a two-inch cancerous growth and a two-foot section of lower intestine from the President. The discovery and removal of the first skin cancer came three weeks later.

At that time, Reagan played down the significance of the skin cancer. He called the basal cell carcinoma “very commonplace” and noted that his wife, Nancy, previously had a similar patch of skin removed from above her upper lip.

“They do not betoken in any way that you are cancer-prone,” he said in August.

As he stood before reporters today, with a small round adhesive patch on his nose, Reagan, who took precautions to shield himself from the sun during his summer vacation in California, seemed unbothered by the latest finding.

Minor Operation

“There were some cancer cells found,” he said, reiterating, “and now, after that--following the minor operation--I can stand before you and say my nose is clean.”

White House aides said the procedure performed Thursday was similar to the one done July 29 and disclosed two days later in a 55-word statement that said only that the excised skin “was submitted for routine studies for infection, and it was determined no further treatment is necessary.”

Only four days later did Reagan announce that the skin had been cancerous. White House officials indicated that the information was withheld at first not only from reporters but from Reagan himself on orders from the First Lady.

The episode strained tensions between the White House and the press corps. Those relations turned combative over restrictions on information about Reagan’s health during his hospitalization, and the controversy was renewed last month when the White House refused to divulge details of a follow-up examination the President underwent at Bethesda.

On the day of the follow-up exam, Reagan pronounced himself “100% recovered” from the colon cancer surgery. There was no official report.