Posted in Foreign News

Kate Middleton reveals cancer diagnosis: What we know so far

   March 23, 2024
Kate Middleton reveals cancer diagnosis: What we know so far


Kate Middleton, Princess of Wales, has disclosed that she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.

The following is known so far:

What did Kate say?

On Friday afternoon, Kate posted a video update on her health. The message recorded on Wednesday read aired two days later.

This came after weeks of speculation about her whereabouts and health since she was hospitalized in January.

“In January I had major abdominal surgery in London and at the time my condition was thought to be non-cancerous,” Kate said.

“The operation was successful. However, post-surgery tests revealed that there was cancer. My medical team therefore advised me to undergo preventive chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of this treatment.”

She explained that her diagnosis was a “big shock.”

“As you can imagine, this took some time. It took me some time to recover from the serious surgery before I could begin treatment. But most importantly, we needed time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that was appropriate for them and to reassure them that I would be fine,” Kate added, referring to her three children, Prince William, the Eldest son of King Charles and heir to the British throne.

Prince George is 10 years old; Princess Charlotte, 8; and Prince Louis, 5.

Kate didn’t reveal what type of cancer she was diagnosed with, but also asked for space and privacy.

“We hope you understand that as a family we now need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment,” she explained.

“I have always enjoyed my work and I look forward to being back when I am able, but now I need to focus on making a full recovery.”

From left: Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte leave Buckingham Palace [File: Alastair Grant/AP]

The cancer diagnosis is the latest in a series of health challenges facing the royal family.

King Charles was with a diagnosis of cancer in February, less than 18 months after he succeeded his mother Queen Elizabeth after her death in September 2022. He has since withdrawn from public engagements. Buckingham Palace has not said what stage he was diagnosed with cancer.

On January 21, Prince Andrew’s ex-wife, Sarah, Duchess of York, said she had malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer.

What kind of surgery did Kate have on January 16th?

Kate, 42, had to undergo so-called abdominal surgery on January 16th. The news wasn’t revealed until the next day, when Kensington Palace announced that the princess was recovering from planned surgery.

At the time, officials said her condition was not cancerous, but did not specify the nature of the surgery, saying only that it was successful. They also said she would likely not return to public duties until after Easter, which falls on March 31 this year.

Kate was discharged on January 29 from the London Clinic, a private hospital near Regent’s Park in the heart of the British capital. After her discharge, she returned to Windsor, west of London, to continue her recovery.

Charles was discharged from the same hospital on the same day as Kate.

What happened next after I left the hospital on January 29th?

Although the palace explained the timeline for the princess’s recovery, Kate’s health and whereabouts sparked widespread speculation. Kate made her first public appearance on March 4 when she was spotted in Windsor. She was sitting in the passenger seat of a car driven by her mother, Carole Middleton.

How about the Mother’s Day picture on March 10th?

Speculation continued to grow and amid a furore on social media, Kate and William released an official photo of her and her three children on Mother’s Day – which was celebrated in the UK on March 10.

But instead of ending the speculation, it fueled it further after news outlets retracted it because it appeared to be manipulated. A day later, Kate admitted that she had edited the photo and apologized.

She was later photographed with her husband in a car leaving Windsor Castle.

“First of all, why do you think that in this current climate you can publish a doctored image and get away with it,” Afua Hagan, journalist and royal commentator, told Al Jazeera.

“But what really amazes me is that Kate didn’t do this alone. She has a team around her,” Hagan said.

“There is also an issue with the PR and communications team that has let you down badly. “Your team has betrayed you, Princess of Wales, and you take the blame,” she added.

Is it unusual to find cancer after surgery?

While it’s rare to find cancer after surgery for a noncancerous problem, it occurs in about four percent of those surgeries, said Yuman Fong, a surgeon at the City of Hope Cancer Center in Southern California.

“That 4 percent number represents someone going to the operating room for a seemingly harmless illness, such as surgery to remove a gallbladder or an ovarian cyst,” Fong said.

What kind of treatment does Kate receive?

The palace statement said no details about her cancer or her treatment would be released, except to say it began in late February.

After successful surgery, chemotherapy is often used to kill stray cancer cells and prevent the cancer from coming back. Treatment options have evolved, and when chemotherapy is used today, it is sometimes for shorter periods or lower doses than before.

“Fatigue, nausea, tingling in the hands and feet, and sometimes hair loss are side effects of chemotherapy,” said Monica Avila, a doctor at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. “But there are medications to alleviate these side effects. And cooling caps that cool the scalp can prevent hair loss,” Avila said.

“It can take anywhere from a few weeks to a month or two for a patient to recover from these effects,” Avila added. Numbness and tingling may take longer to go away, she added.

Is it unusual to find cancer in a young person?

Cancer is rare in young adults. But in developed countries, rates of some cancers are rising among younger adults. Kate is 42.

“We hate it when young people get cancer, but at the same time they are the ones who recover best,” Fong said.

According to Macmillan Cancer Support, “around 393,000 people in the UK receive the news that they have cancer every year”. According to the centre, on average someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer at least every 90 seconds.

And in the UK, around 167,000 people die from cancer every year, an average of “460 people a day”.

What was the reaction after Kate’s announcement?

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan, who have been estranged from William and Kate since moving to California in 2020, wished the princess well.

“We wish Kate and the family health and healing and hope they can do so privately and in peace,” they said in a statement.

Kate’s brother James Middleton also offered his support, sharing a photo of the two of them when they were children.

King Charles said he was very proud of Kate for speaking out about cancer.

Charles is “so proud of Catherine for her courage to speak out like this” and “has been in close contact with his beloved daughter-in-law in recent weeks” after they spent time together in hospital, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said.

Charles and his wife Camilla “will continue to offer their love and support to the entire family during this difficult time,” the spokesperson added.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Kate had “the love and support of the whole country.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also wished Kate a speedy recovery.

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