Argentine leader’s thyroid not cancerous, say doctors

BUENOS AIRES: Argentine President Cristina Fernandez did not have cancer after all.

After having some of Argentina’s leading cancer surgeons completely remove her thyroid gland, tests showed no presence of any cancerous cells.

“Tissue studies ruled out the presence of cancerous cells in the thyroid, thus modifying the initial diagnosis,” spokesman Alfredo Scoccimarro said.

Fernandez does not even have to swallow the radioactive iodine that patients usually take after thyroid cancer surgery, her spokesman said. But she will have to take hormone medicine for the rest of her life.

Fernandez returned on saturday to the presidential residence in suburban Olivos. She underwent the surgery on Wednesday, just 25 days after beginning her second term.

The 58-year-old president thanked the medical team led by the hospital’s surgery chief, Dr Pedro Saco, an expert in cancers of the head and neck.

Later, she added her own thoughts in a tweet, saying: “Now from Olivos, we thank all the people, citizens, activists and personalities, for the signs of affection and concern.”

The announcement that she is cancer-free prompted cheers and chants from several hundred supporters holding vigil for days outside the hospital. — AP