Much is made of McCain's age. ( Archived) (5)

In August of 2000, U.S. senator and presumptive Republican presidential nominee John McCain was found to have a dangerous form of skin cancer, melanoma, for the second time. The senator had a superficial (meaning less dangerous because it has not invaded deeply into the tissues) melanoma diagnosed in 1993. Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer and is frequently associated with prolonged exposure of the skin to sunlight.

The cancer identified in 2000, located on the left side of his face, had penetrated the skin more deeply than the superficial cancer removed in 1993. The cancer diagnosed in 2000 was removed by a surgical procedure that also included removal and examination of multiple lymph nodes to determine the extent of the spread of the cancer. His staff reported at the time that there was no evidence of spread of the cancer. According to press reports, McCain has also had two more superficial melanomas removed since his surgery in 2000.

The disease can be cured if it is diagnosed and treated when the tumor is thin and has not deeply invaded the skin. However, if a melanoma is not removed early, cancer cells can grow downward from the skin's surface, invading healthy tissue. When a melanoma becomes thick and deep, the disease often spreads to other parts of the body and is difficult to control.