What is Preventative Chemotherapy? What We Know About Kate Middleton's Cancer Treatment
Kate Middleton brought weeks of speculation to an end today when she announced she has cancer and is undergoing treatment, per a video shared by Kensington Palace. In the emotional video, the Princess of Wales revealed that the cancer was found after she underwent major abdominal surgery in January, and that she’s now undergoing treatment, including preventative chemotherapy.
“At the time [of the surgery], it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous,” Kate explained in the video. While the surgery was successful, “tests after the operation found cancer had been present,” she continued. “My medical team therefore advised that I should undergo a course of preventative chemotherapy and I am now in the early stages of that treatment.”
Kate didn’t reveal what kind of cancer was found, and it sounds like she doesn’t plan to; as a spokesperson told the BBC, “We will not be sharing any further private medical information. The princess has a right to medical privacy as we all do.”
She did choose to share her current course of treatment, which we know a few things about. Preventative chemotherapy (also known as chemoprevention or adjuvant therapy) is what it sounds like: chemotherapy (chemical drugs that wipe out cancer cells throughout the body) used to prevent cancer. It’s typically recommended for people at a high risk of getting cancer (due to family history, for example) or people who have had cancer and are looking to prevent a recurrence, per the American Society of Clinical Oncology. Adjuvant therapy is especially common as a follow-up after breast cancer, colon cancer, or lung cancer treatment, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
This type of treatment can vary widely in length: some patients undergo adjuvant treatments for a few weeks; others, as long as ten years, Mayo Clinic says. Chemotherapy drugs can also come with major side effects, including fatigue, hair loss, nausea, vomiting, and infection, according to the American Cancer Society. And while receiving adjuvant therapy isn’t a guarantee against recurrence, it can reduce the risk of it.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Kate is opting to take on this phase of her treatment in privacy. “William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” she stated in the video. “It has taken me time to recover from major surgery in order to start my treatment.”
Kate went on to explain that she’d already spoken to the couple’s children, George, Charlotte, and Louis, about her health, reassuring them that “I am well, and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal in mind, body, and spirit.” She also expressed gratitude for Prince William and the “love, support, and kindness” of their supporters.
Kate ended the message by extended solidarity to others facing cancer diagnoses. “For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope,” she said. “You are not alone.”
Before you go, read about other celebs who have shared their diagnoses to end stigma: