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November 27, 2001
GAINESVILLE -- U.S. Sen. Bob Graham underwent two hours of outpatient surgery Monday to remove a small, nonlethal skin cancer, a basal cell carcinoma, from the right side of his nose.
The procedure, on an area described as being "smaller than a dime," was done under local anesthetic and Graham planned to return to work today in Washington.
Graham, 65, will take an antibiotic to guard against infection and will wear a small bandage until his stitches come out in five to seven days.
"Sen. Graham's prognosis is excellent," said Dr. Charles B. Stoer, a dermatologist who treated Graham in his Gainesville office. "This is the most common type of skin cancer, and it has a cure rate of 98 to 99 percent. It was not life-threatening, but it was important to take care of it."
Graham, D-Fla., said he felt fine and looked forward to getting back to work.