Overview
- The president, who began the treatment Monday, started a preventive superficial radiotherapy regimen at Hospital Sirio-Libanés after a scalp lesion was removed in April.
- Biopsy results identified the removed lesion as a carcinoma basocelular, the most common and typically less aggressive form of skin cancer.
- Medical teams said the protocol calls for 15 brief sessions over about three weeks to destroy any microscopic cancer cells that might remain after surgery.
- Officials and the hospital stressed Lula will continue his public schedule without restrictions and will remain under ongoing medical follow-up while using protective head coverings outdoors.
- The announcement has renewed attention to Lula’s health because he is 80, has past serious medical events including a 2011 throat cancer and a 2024 intracranial hemorrhage, and is campaigning for a fourth nonconsecutive presidential term in October.