Eighty-year-old Brazilian incumbent President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has embarked on a course of preventive radiotherapy starting this Monday, following the surgical removal of a cancerous skin lesion from his scalp last month, according to an official statement released by Sao Paulo’s Sirio-Libanes Hospital. The treatment comes as the veteran leftist politician campaigns for a fourth presidential term in Brazil’s upcoming October general election, a race that has already put health and age-related questions at the center of public discourse.
Last month, dermatologist Cristina Abdalla removed a visible basal cell carcinoma from Lula’s scalp. Abdalla previously noted that this type of skin growth is extremely common and primarily triggered by long-term sun exposure, easing initial public concern over the diagnosis. After the successful surgical excision of the lesion, medical teams made the collective decision to administer complementary preventive superficial radiotherapy to reduce the risk of recurrence, the hospital confirmed in its latest announcement.
In the weeks since the lesion removal, Lula has been spotted wearing a head covering during all public appearances, a habit he previously adopted after a 2024 emergency surgery to address a brain hemorrhage sustained in a domestic accident. This is not the only minor health procedure Lula has undergone this year: he also underwent cataract surgery on his left eye back in January, adding to a string of publicized health events that have drawn scrutiny amid the election cycle.
To pre-empt growing public anxiety over his fitness for office at 80, Lula and his campaign team have ramped up social media outreach over the past several months. The president has repeatedly shared content showcasing his daily exercise routines, framing an image of vitality to counter questions about whether his age will hinder his ability to serve another four-year term. On the campaign trail, Lula’s most likely leading challenger is Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the son of former far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who has built a leading position in pre-election polling to secure the main opposition’s nomination.