Kate, the Princess of Wales, has shared that she has been diagnosed with cancer and is currently receiving chemotherapy. However, in her video statement on Friday, she did not disclose the type of cancer or provide any information about her treatment.

This is the information that is available:

On January 16, Kate underwent a surgical procedure on her abdomen. The announcement was not made until the following day, when Kensington Palace reported that Kate was recuperating from a planned surgery.

At that moment, authorities stated that her state was not cancerous. However, they did not disclose the nature of the surgery, only confirming its success.

According to Kate’s video announcement on Friday, tests conducted after her operation revealed the presence of cancer. She also mentioned that she is currently undergoing treatment in the early stages.

Kate was not specific about the type of cancer that was discovered, and she also did not provide any specifics about her chemotherapy treatment. According to a statement from Kensington Palace, Kate learned about the cancer through tests that were done following her surgery.

According to Dr. Yuman Fong, a surgeon at City of Hope cancer center in Southern California, it is uncommon for cancer to be discovered during surgery for a noncancerous issue. However, it does occur in approximately 4% of these cases.

Fong stated that the percentage of 4% refers to individuals undergoing surgery for conditions assumed to be non-threatening, such as the extraction of the gallbladder or ovarian cysts.

2At the age of 42, Kate is considered a young adult, although cancer occurrences in this demographic are limited. However, in industrialized nations, there has been an increase in certain types of cancer among younger adults in recent years.

According to Fong, it is unfortunate when youths develop cancer. However, they also tend to have the highest rate of recovery.

The official statement from the palace stated that no further information would be disclosed regarding her cancer or the methods of her treatment, except that it began in late February.

“The statement stated that we will not disclose any additional personal medical details. It emphasized that the Princess is entitled to medical confidentiality, just like everyone else.”

Following a successful surgery, chemotherapy is frequently employed to eliminate any remaining cancerous cells and reduce the risk of cancer recurrence. With advancements in treatments, chemotherapy may now involve shorter treatment durations or lower dosages compared to previous methods.

According to Dr. Monica Avila from Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, chemotherapy can cause tiredness, sickness, numbness in the extremities, and occasional hair loss. However, there are medications available to alleviate these side effects. Additionally, Avila suggests using cold caps to cool the scalp and prevent hair loss.

According to Avila, it can take a patient anywhere from a few weeks to a month or two to fully recover from these effects. She also noted that numbness and tingling may take even longer to go away.

As per the palace announcement, it will be the decision of the princess’s doctors. The statement mentioned, “The princess is currently following a path to recovery.”

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group provides support to The Associated Press Health and Science Department. The AP is solely responsible for all of its content.