Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. reported this on Wednesday, December 28, RIA Novosti citing the press secretary of the head of state, Alfredo Scocimarro.

Kirchner is expected to undergo surgery on January 4 at the Austral Hospital in Buenos Aires. Christina Kirchner intends to take sick leave until January 24. During this time, according to article number 88 of the National Constitution, she will be replaced by Vice President Amado Budu.

The spokesman added that after the discovery of cancer in the Argentine President, “corresponding additional studies were carried out, which showed the absence of metastases.” He also clarified that “the doctors concluded that the tumor is local and located directly in the gland.”

The main treatment for thyroid cancer is surgery. Depending on the form of cancer, the stage of its development and the presence of metastases, either one of the lobes of the gland or the entire gland can be removed. Also, during the operation, adjacent tissues and regional lymph nodes, which may contain metastases, are usually removed.

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was re-elected to a second term in the Argentine presidential general election on October 23, 2011, with 54.11% of the vote. Her inauguration took place on December 10. Kirchner has been Argentina's leader since December 10, 2007, when she succeeded her late husband Nestor Kirchner.

Argentine President diagnosed with cancer