Congressman Bruce Braley had successful treatment of skin cancer this past week. "Got a very positive report from my surgeon and I’m very, very pleased by that," Braley says. Braley, who is 50 years old, had a routine check up last week and his doctor identified the troublesome spot on his right cheek.
On Thursday, Braley underwent out-patient surgery to have the basal cell carcinoma removed, and the surgeon told Braley they "got" it all. Basal cell carcinoma is the most common form of skin cancer and the least likely to spread from the skin into other parts of the body. Braley has not cancelled any appearances.
"There are certainly precautions anyone should take to avoid any unnecessary exposure to the sun," Braley says. "Because of this condition, I will be making sure that I am taking whatever precautions my doctor recommends." Braley says as a young person, he spent a lot of time working outdoors.
"I worked a lot of heavy construction jobs and because of the nature of those jobs, a lot of times you do have some exposure to the sun," Braley says. "I think we’re a lot smarter today about the importance of using sunscreen and using the right type of sunscreen." Braley, a lawyer from Waterloo, is in his first term in the U.S. House.