Argentine President 'Does Not have Cancer'

Medical tests performed after Argentine President Cristina Kirchner had her thyroid removed in a three and a half hour operation found that she did not have cancer as initially believed, her spokesman said Saturday.

A final examination of the tissue removed "confirmed the presence of nodules in both lobes of the president's thyroid gland, but it ruled out the presence of cancer cells, thus modifying the initial diagnosis," Kirchner's spokesman Alfredo Scoccimarro said.

With the new diagnosis, Kirchner's medical team "considers that the surgical treatment undertaken is sufficient and the administration of radioactive iodine is no longer necessary," Scoccimarro said.

He said Kirchner, 58, had been released from hospital and was convalescing at her official residence.

The president "is resting normally and is in optimal general health, on the basis of which the medical team has authorized her release," he said.

Kirchner, who has taken a medical leave until January 24, has been replaced in the interim by Vice President Amado Boudou, who recently assumed office.

Surgeons removed Kirchner's thyroid in a Wednesday operation after a biopsy performed at the end of December had resulted in a diagnosis of thyroid cancer.