Achi news desk-
Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, has revealed that she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.
In a video announcement on Friday, she did not say what type of cancer it was or reveal the details of her treatment.
Kate underwent what was described as abdominal surgery on January 16. The news was not announced until the following day, when Kensington Palace revealed that Kate was recovering from a planned operation.
At the time, officials said her condition was not cancerous but did not specify what type of operation, saying only that it was successful.
During Friday’s video announcement, Kate said: “Tests after the operation found that cancer was present,” and that it was in the early stages of treatment.
The statement from Kensington Palace said that Kate found out about the cancer after tests were carried out after surgery.
Although it is rare to find cancer after surgery for a non-cancerous problem, it occurs in about four per cent of such surgeries, said Dr Yuman Fong, a surgeon at the City of Hope cancer center in South California.
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“That four percent figure represents someone going into the operating room for what is thought to be a benign disease” such as a gallbladder or ovarian cyst removal procedure, Fong said.
Is it unusual to find cancer in someone so young?
Yes, cancer is rare in young adults.
But in developed countries, rates of some cancers are rising among younger adults.
Kate is 42 years old.
“We hate it when young people get cancer, but at the same time, they’re the ones who recover the best,” Fong said.
What kind of treatment is Kate getting?
The Palace statement said no details would be provided about her cancer or her treatment, unless she started it at the end of February.
“We will no longer share any private medical information. The Princess has a right to medical privacy as we all do,” the statement said.
After successful surgery, chemotherapy is often used to help kill any stray cancer cells and to prevent the cancer from returning. Treatments have evolved, and when chemo is used now, it is sometimes for shorter periods or lower doses than it once was.
What are the side effects of chemotherapy?
Fatigue, nausea, tingling in the hands and feet, and sometimes hair loss are side effects of chemotherapy, says Dr. Monica Avila of the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida.
But there are medicines for curing these side effects. And cold caps that cool the scalp can prevent hair loss, Avila says.
“A patient can take anywhere from a few weeks to a month or two to recover from those effects,” Avila said. Numbness and tingling may take longer to go away, he says.
So how long could the Princess’ treatments last?
The palace statement said that will be up to her doctors.
“The princess is now on the road to recovery,” the statement said.
& copy 2024 The Canadian Press
