Reagan Tells of Removal of New Cancer on Nose

President Reagan said Friday that doctors have removed a new cancerous growth from the bridge of his nose in the same spot where similar tissue was found in July.

Reagan said the growth was removed Thursday afternoon at the White House physician’s office after his return from a speaking trip in Chicago. He indicated that the condition was a recurrence of basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer that is generally not dangerous if treated but can reappear frequently.

The President, wearing a small adhesive patch on his nose, made the announcement during a White House briefing on the Navy’s apprehension of four Palestinians who hijacked an Italian liner and killed an American passenger.

President Cheerful

“Knowing your great concern and not wanting you to lose any sleep at night, let me explain the patch on my nose,” Reagan said cheerfully. “The doctor has been keeping track of me since the first operation for skin cancer on my nose and felt there was some additional work needed. So, yesterday afternoon, when we came back from Chicago . . . he did the additional work, and biopsy revealed there were some cancer cells and now I have a verdict of, my nose is clean.”

Reagan did not say who performed Thursday’s surgery. White House spokesman Mark Weinberg said the minor operation took place in the office of Dr. T. Burton Smith, the White House physician, but that it was done “by another doctor” whom he declined to name.

The 74-year-old President underwent a similar operation in July, about two weeks after undergoing an operation to remove a cancerous section of his colon at Bethesda Naval Medical Center.

According to Dr. Ronald Moy, a UCLA dermatologist, basal cell carcinomas commonly recur but usually after about a year. He said that, in the opinion of UCLA dermatologists, the reason for the relatively early recurrence of the growth was the choice of technique used in the initial operation in August.

Lower Success Rate

According to Moy, the method used at that time--which involved scraping and burning the growth--has a lower success rate than other techniques that are available. One technique, called microscopically controlled surgery, is less apt to leave roots of the tumor, Moy said.

The original skin cancer was not disclosed until reporters at a White House ceremony on Aug. 1 noted a spot on the President’s nose.

At that time, relations between the press and Reagan’s press office suffered briefly after it was learned that the White House had withheld the fact that the growth on the President’s nose was cancerous.

A White House statement had said only that the blemish had been removed and studied and that no further treatment was required. But, on Aug. 5, Reagan himself disclosed that a biopsy had shown that he had indeed suffered from skin cancer.

Times Medical Writer Harry Nelson, in Los Angeles, contributed to this story.