Gov. Linda Lingle announced this evening that a breast biopsy shows she does not have cancer.

Lingle, and her surgeon, Dr. Mari Nakashizuka, announced the results this evening at a press conference at the Queen’s Medical Center.

Lingle underwent the “needle localization” biopsy procedure Thursday at Queen’s. The two-hour procedure was performed under a “light” anesthetic and lasted about 20 minutes.

It came four months after a routine mammogram in which doctors observed an abnormality that required further testing. “The doctor indicated after the mammogram that this would be an appropriate time,” Lenny Klompus, the governor’s senior adviser for communications, said last week.

This is the second time the 55-year-old governor has had tissue in her right breast examined for cancer.

A mammogram in April 2002 showed an abnormality, which led to a follow-up mammogram and needle biopsy in July 2002 at Maui Memorial Hospital. Those results were negative but showed atypical cells.

Doctors recommended in August 2002 that a second biopsy be performed. That was done at Kapiolani Medical Center in November that year and showed negative results. Lingle was sworn in for her first term as governor the following month.

Klompus said last week that Lingle has no family history of cancer.