All clear for Argentine president after cancer tests negative

Jan 7, 2012, 16:40 GMT

Buenos Aires - Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was discharged from hospital Saturday after her doctors found no cancer cells in the thyroid gland they removed from her body.

Fernandez de Kirchner, 58, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer on December 22, and she had the gland and adjacent lymphatic nodules removed Wednesday at the Hospital Austral, in the Buenos Aires suburb of Pilar.

On Saturday, she was discharged from hospital, and doctors found no cancerous cells in the thyroid.

'The definitive test showed the presence of nodules in both lobes of the president's thyroid gland, but it ruled out the presence of cancerous cells...' said presidential spokesman Alfredo Scoccimarro.

Fernandez de Kirchner will need no radiotherapy to follow up on surgery.

Fernandez de Kirchner is to rest at the presidential residence in the Buenos Aires suburb of Olivos. She had originally taken leave from government work till January 24, but not needing radiotherapy might lead her to return to official matters earlier, Argentine media reported.

Vice President Amado Boudou is currently acting as head of state.