Achi news desk-
Kate Middleton shared her cancer diagnosis in a surprise video statement last night.
The Princess of Wales explained that the news had come as a “massive shock” to her and her family.
Kate has spent the past few months out of the public eye, following planned abdominal surgery which was initially thought to be unrelated to cancer.
Here is a look at what is publicly known about her condition at the moment.
When and how did Kate find out she had cancer?
When she had scheduled abdominal surgery on January 16 at a private facility – the London Clinic – Kensington Palace said her condition was “not cancer-related”.
News of the surgery was published a day after it happened. The Palace only said it was successful, but offered no further details.
In Friday’s video, Kate said that “tests after the operation found that cancer was present” and that she was now in the early stages of preventive chemotherapy.
Dr. Yuman Fong, a surgeon at the City of Hope cancer center in Southern California, told the Associated Press that cancer detection after surgery for a non-cancerous problem can occur in about 4% of procedures.
A patient may be undergoing surgery for what is thought to be a benign disease, such as removal of the gallbladder or ovarian cysts, when cancer can be found, according to Fong.
It is common for tissues taken during surgery to be analyzed in a laboratory afterwards, which is when other conditions can be detected.
BBC STUDIO/PRINCE AND PRINCESS OF WALES
What is cancer and how common is it?
The NHS says: “Cancer is a condition where cells in a particular part of the body grow and reproduce uncontrollably. The cancerous cells can invade and destroy healthy surrounding tissue, including organs.”
Sometimes cancer can also spread throughout the body – known as secondary or metastatic cancer.
One in two people in the UK will develop cancer in their lifetime.
There are more than 200 different types, and each is diagnosed and treated differently.
Anyone can get cancer but the risk increases as people get older – more cases are found in people aged 50 and over – because there is more time for cell damage to build up.
But, cancer diagnosis rates are rising for younger people in developed countries, according to medical research. Kate is 42.
Dr Fong told AP: “We hate it when young people get cancer but at the same time, they are the ones who recover the best.”
Cancer survival rates have doubled over the past 50 years, according to Cancer Research UK.
There is a huge variation in survival rates between types of cancer. Fifty percent survive cancer for 10 years or more, according to Cancer Research data from 2010-11.
What type of cancer has Kate been diagnosed with?
Kate did not reveal this, and neither did the Palace.
It is unlikely that they will happen soon, especially since the Princess of Wales has already shared many unprecedented details about her health.
A Kensington Palace spokesman said: “We will no longer be sharing any private medical information. The princess has a right to medical privacy as we all do. ”
What treatment is the Princess of Wales receiving?
Kate said in her statement that her team advised her to start ‘preventive chemotherapy’ at the end of February.
She is now in the early stages of this treatment.
Chemotherapy is a non-umbrella term for medicine – administered through a drip or through a pill – which is meant to kill cancerous cells.
It is intended to prevent the risk of cancer returning, although the amount required and how regularly it needs to be given depends on the cancer.
According to the NHS website, chemo can cause some difficult side effects, although “many can be treated or prevented and most will pass once your treatment ends”.
Not everyone has the same side effects, but common ones include: anaemia, infections, loss of appetite, fatigue, nausea and hair loss.
Dr. Monica Avila of the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, told AP: “A patient can take anywhere from a few weeks to a month or two to recover from those effects.”
When will Kate return to the public eye?
The Palace did not reveal a working timetable for Kate’s treatment, or the advice of her medical team who will decide when it will be.
But, the royal officials seem confident that Kate will recover.
The statement said: “The Princess is now on the road to recovery.”
In her video statement, Kate said she took her time to tell the public about her diagnosis because she first wanted to reassure her three children – aged 10 and under – that she was “going to be OK”. .
“As I’ve told them, I’m healthy and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me get better, in my mind, my body and my spirits,” Kate said.
