Bush Undergoes Routine Skin Cancer Operation for Growth on Left Cheek

The most common and easily curable form of skin cancer was removed from Vice President George Bush’s left cheek Thursday, his office announced on Saturday.

“The vice president is in excellent health and there was nothing remarkable about the procedure,” Bush spokesman Marlin M. Fitzwater said in a statement.

President Reagan and his wife, Nancy, have had similar skin cancers removed from their faces.

Fitzwater said the basal cell carcinoma was discovered during a routine physical examination several weeks ago and was removed Thursday afternoon by doctors at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in suburban Maryland.

Used Local Anesthetic

“This most common form of skin cancer was removed in total under local anesthetic,” Fitzwater said.

A statement issued by Bush’s office did not specify the location of the basal cell carcinoma. But Fitzwater said the cancer was removed from Bush’s lower left cheek, pointing to a spot about an inch from his mouth.

The spokesman said the vice president, an avid boater, fisherman, tennis player and golfer, has been warned by his doctors to stay out of the sun.

“The sun was judged to be the reason” for the skin cancer, Fitzwater said.

The vice president delivered a commencement address Saturday at Warren Wilson College near Asheville, N.C., and was not wearing a bandage on his face.