Borja Sémper announces that he suffers from a cancerous tumor and that he will reduce his public appearance.

PP spokesman Borja Sémper announced this Monday that a medical examination revealed a cancerous tumor and that he must undergo demanding treatment, which is why he will reduce his public presence as party leader.

Sémper announced this at the end of a press conference in Madrid, warning that his physical appearance will undergo changes and that he will not be able to fully perform his duties.

After answering a round of questions from journalists, the PP spokesperson said he wanted to share "something" that "has little to do with politics," but that he believes it is his "responsibility and obligation" to make it public.

Then, he paused to drink water, asked permission to use the familiar form, and indicated that he had been "trying to find the words" for days, before revealing: "During a routine medical checkup, I was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor, which will require me to undergo demanding treatment."

He then pointed out that hundreds of thousands of Spaniards undergo cancer treatment each year and noted that it will cause his physical appearance to change, which isn't very significant, he added, but it will alter his "public presence."

In that regard, he clarified that he doesn't know if he'll be able to continue holding his Monday press conferences or if he'll have to meet with journalists "on alternate Mondays."

"We'll see how the treatment goes, depending on my availability," he said, before emphasizing that all his efforts will be directed toward recovery.

He also said that "the medical outlook is reasonable," because during a "routine" medical checkup, they found the tumor "in a very early stage," so "the medical expectation is for a cure."

Therefore, he stated: "It was a huge piece of luck in the midst of a huge mess."

"You'll understand that this has completely disrupted my life, both personally and professionally. We're going to try to minimize it as much as possible, although I suspect it will be difficult," Sémper explained.

He also noted that he has always felt "a certain embarrassment," perhaps because "he is Basque," about speaking "about these things in public," although he now understands that it is "one of the tolls of politics," and that it is also better to tell it this way, "before they are told in another way and are told badly."

He also had a few words of thanks for the party's president, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, and the other leaders of the party, because these days have shown him their "human stature."

He finally summarized that his intention was to inform journalists that if they see him less or see him "with some change," they should know the reason.

"I hope that before too long we can celebrate a recovery and celebrate my cure, among other things because I don't like the alternative at all," he concluded, before joking that the questions at the press conference "will never be as complicated as the challenge" he faces.