Statement by Assistant to the President for Press Relations Fitzwater on the President and Mrs. Reagan's Medical Examinations

December 9, 1988

The President and First Lady completed their annual physical and postoperative examinations at approximately 5 o'clock this afternoon at Bethesda Naval Hospital. The President's physician, Dr. John Hutton, says the President is in excellent health and there is no evidence of any cancer recurrence in the First Lady's mammogram. ``The President is in remarkable physical condition,'' Dr. Hutton said.

The President's chest x-ray was clear. His urine samples were normal. There was no clinically significant change in his pulmonary condition. His colonoscopy was performed without sedation of any kind. One small piece of tissue, which resembled a small adenomatous polyp, was removed for biopsy. The tissue, taken from a point approximately 120 centimeters into the colon, and approximately 1 to 2 millimeters in size, will be tested over the weekend. It appeared to be benign. The stress test and electrocardiogram showed the President's cardiovascular system is unchanged and normal. Similarly, the CAT scan test showed no intra-abdominal abnormality.

Mrs. Reagan's mammogram showed no evidence of cancer of any kind. Physical examination showed her condition was normal. This was the First Lady's second mammogram since undergoing a left modified radical mastectomy in October 1987. The First Lady believes strongly in the use of mammography for the early detection of breast cancer. She urges women to be regularly tested.

Following the tests, the President, and Mrs. Reagan briefly visited with Justice William Brennan, who is also in Bethesda Naval Hospital.