Pre-cancerous skin lesions really aren’t that big a deal. Mainly a sign that you’re getting old and probably have been exposed to too much sunlight. Oh, and a sign that you’re getting proper medical care, which is a good thing, and we needn’t get into who pays for Mac’s medical care or the implications of the whole matter.

Colonoscpy: Good thing he’s getting it, see previous line. Polyps removed: Not a good or harmless thing to find, better to take them out than not, but you can’t be 100% sure there isn’t still something lurking. Hey, they take a long time to grow, and he’s so old that — let’s not go on from here.

Squamous-cell carcinoma removed? Easily cured skin cancer? Yeah, in Pangloss land. The easily cured one is basal-cell carcinoma, which you merely have to dig out as deeply as necessary, and then watch for the next few years to make sure it’s all gone. (I will tell you about mine: the dermatologist was checking on progress at the last of a series of appointments about a skin condition, when he gave me a good close look, and popped up and said “You’ve got a cancer there!” and did the surgery on the spot, not losing a day.) The point is, it doesn’t metastasize, so you merely get rid of it.

Squamous cell does (can) metasatasize, so it’s inherently a big deal. Not as bad as melanoma, but potentially life threatening. I assume his excellent medical care professionals are on the case. They say it wasn’t a very dangerous one.

Obviously he guy is a major risk for skin cancers, having had repeated cases of at least two kinds, and the two worst kinds at that.

Didn’t realize how bad off he was.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2008/05/24/2008-05-24_john_mccains_had_cancer_but_hes_ok.html

Hey, here’s one: that wimpy-ass guy is taking baby aspirin. Is this the kind of hero you want getting phone calls at 3 AM?