Kate Middleton, the wife of Prince William, shocked the world on Friday when she announced that she had been diagnosed with cancer at the age of 42. Now, sad details about her cancer battle are coming to light.
Middleton Reveals She Has Cancer
Middleton revealed that she had cancer in a touching video posted to social media on Friday.
“In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London and at the time, it was thought that my condition was non-cancerous. The surgery was successful,” she said. “However, tests after the operation found cancer had been present. 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.”
“This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” she continued, referring to her husband and three children, later adding, “As I have said to them; I am well and getting stronger every day by focusing on the things that will help me heal; in my mind, body and spirits.”
Related: Here’s Why Queen Elizabeth Was Impressed By Kate Middleton
Cancer Experts Weigh In
Middleton did not go into any further detail about what type of cancer she has, but experts have since weighed in on what it might be.
“According to several top oncologists I spoke to, she likely has either an early colon cancer that was removed and cured surgically, or early ovarian, uterine or cervical cancer that was found incidentally,” Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Fox News.
Rumors have swirled over the years that Middleton suffers from Crohn’s disease, which is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease affecting the lining of the digestive tract.
“Inflammatory bowel disease greatly increases the risk for colon or bowel cancer,” Siegel explained. “”She could have been having bowel surgery for the Crohn’s and they later found it on pathology.”
Siegel went on to say that the cancer could also be gynecological.
“[The surgery] could have been a hysterectomy, and she may have been found to have ovarian, uterine or cancer of the cervix, which was local and removed,” he stated. “But going against this [idea] is that there is no sign of hair loss, which is caused by Taxol, the predominant intravenous treatment for these gynecological cancers.”
Siegel Hopeful Middleton’s Prognosis Is Good
Siegel concluded by saying that he has hope that Middleton’s prognosis is good and that her cancer was caught early enough.
“I have diagnosed a lot of cancer [cases], unfortunately, but more and more, it’s early enough to be cured,” he said. “Whatever type of cancer it is, they appear to have gotten it out.”
Siegel was particularly revealed to see that in her video, Middleton described her treatment regime as “preventative chemotherapy.”
“The good news is that the word ‘preventative’ was used, which would mean that the cancer was removed in its entirety, presumably by bowel resection, and that the chemo is being given to increase the chances of no recurrence,” he concluded.
Related: Here’s How Kate Middleton Has Been ‘Strategic’ In Planning Out Her ‘Unprecedented’ Royal Career
Other Experts Speak Out
Dr Eric Winer, director of the Yale Cancer Center, with adjuvant chemotherapy, agreed that “the hope is that this will prevent further problems” and avoid a recurrence of the cancer. Dr Michael Birrer, director of the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, told the New York Times that the hope is that “you removed everything” that was visible with surgery.
Dr. Karen Knudsen, chief executive officer of the American Cancer Society, told CNN that preventative chemotherapy is often used after surgery as an “adjuvant” therapy to weaken the chances of cancer returning.
A royal source told reporters that Middleton began chemotherapy back in February, and that she and her husband waited until Friday to tell the world because that was the day their children started their Easter school holidays.
This is a very difficult time for the entire British royal family, as King Charles is also battling a form of cancer the nature of which has not been revealed to the public. Please join us in saying a prayer for Middleton, Charles, and the rest of the royal family as they continue to fight cancer.
More About:Entertainment TellMeNow