WASHINGTON -- The White House said on Tuesday that officials should have acted earlier to disclose publicly that President George W. Bush had been treated for four skin lesions.
Bush underwent a procedure last Friday to remove the skin lesions on his face, two of which were pre-cancerous, but it was not until reporters noticed scabs on his face on Monday that the White House admitted Bush had been treated.
"The press should have been notified earlier," said a senior White House official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The lesions, found on Bush's cheeks, forehead and temple, were removed with liquid nitrogen on Friday in the White House physician's office, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said on Monday in response to reporters' questions.
Two of the lesions, found on his cheeks, were "very early actinic keratoses," Fleischer said. A small percentage of actinic keratoses develop into cancer. The two other growths, on his forehead and temple, were "seborrheic keratoses," which are harmless, common skin growths.
The treatment was described as a follow-up to Bush's physical examination in August when three small actinic keratoses were removed from his face. No biopsies were taken of the growths removed on Friday.
