The Princess of Wales has revealed she is on the mend in a touching family video marking the end of her preventative chemotherapy treatment.
Kate Middleton, 42, said she is now focused on “staying cancer-free” after a “difficult” journey that showed the importance of “loving, being loved.”
In March, she revealed that she had been undergoing preventative chemotherapy since late February, following her shock cancer diagnosis.
Chemotherapy uses powerful drugs to attack tumors and is usually given to treat cancer directly or to shrink a tumor in preparation for surgery.
But it can also be used as a preventative option in hopes of stopping cancer from returning, with up to a 46 percent decrease in cases that return, according to a 2019 study. study.
In the video posted this afternoon, Kate admitted that the past nine months have been “incredibly tough” for her and her family.
“The cancer process is complex, frightening and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you,” she said.
After six months of preventative chemotherapy, the princess says she is now “cancer-free.”
“Although I have completed chemotherapy, my road to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take advantage of each day as it comes,” she added.
Initially it was believed that the reason for Kate’s surgery was not cancer.
He later revealed that subsequent tests had revealed he had cancer.
Kate was then advised to undergo preventative chemotherapy treatment and said she was in the “early stages” of that treatment.
Preventive chemotherapy, also called adjuvant chemotherapy, aims to prevent cancer from coming back once the main tumor has been removed from the body.
Cancer can spread to other parts of the body, a process called metastasis, where small cancer cells break away from the main tumor and take root elsewhere.
These “new” cancers can be difficult to detect, so doctors who specialize in treating cancer, called oncologists, often recommend that patients undergo preventive chemotherapy in an attempt to eliminate any remaining traces of the disease.
Preventive chemotherapy is usually given as an intravenous drip or tablets which are then carried throughout the body through the bloodstream.
It is usually given for about three to six months.
Depending on the type, chemotherapy may be administered in a hospital or at the patient’s home.
There are more than 100 types of chemotherapy drugs, but they all work in a similar way and circulate in the blood.
The drugs are cytotoxic, meaning they are toxic to cells, particularly those that divide rapidly.
Because cancer cells divide more than healthy cells, they are more affected by chemotherapy, which is why it is used as a treatment for the disease.
However, other types of rapidly growing cells, such as those in hair, bone marrow, skin and the lining of the digestive system, are also damaged in the process.
This leads to some of the famous side effects of chemotherapy, such as hair loss or thinning, fatigue, easier bruising and bleeding, increased risk of infection, diarrhea or constipation, nausea or vomiting, rashes, and more.
Often, a patient undergoing chemotherapy also takes other medications designed to help mitigate or combat some of these symptoms.
The specific dose and type of chemotherapy used varies depending on the type of cancer.
In the video posted this afternoon, Kate admitted that the past nine months have been “incredibly tough” for her and her family.
After six months of preventative chemotherapy, the princess says she is now “cancer-free”
Kate pictured behind the wheel as she reads her statement in voiceover
The Princess of Wales with her children in her Mother’s Day portrait, which now has added meaning given her diagnosis
The Princess of Wales said her family (pictured together on December 25) “need some time, space and privacy while I complete my treatment”.
The effectiveness of preventive chemotherapy varies considerably from patient to patient.
Factors that influence its success include the specific type of cancer, when it was originally treated, the patient’s age, and whether he or she has other health conditions.
The specific type of cancer Kate had has not been revealed.
In the UK, approximately 375,000 cases of cancer are detected each year and 167,000 patients die from the disease each year.
Survival rates vary significantly depending on the type of cancer. Overall, 50 percent of cancer patients will still be alive 10 years after diagnosis.
As summer draws to a close, I cannot express to you the relief I feel at finally completing my chemotherapy treatment. The past nine months have been incredibly difficult for us as a family.
The princess said she is now focused on “staying cancer-free” after a “difficult” journey that showed the importance of “loving and being loved.”
Life as we know it can change in an instant and we have had to find a way to navigate turbulent waters and unfamiliar paths. The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you.
With humility, you also confront your own vulnerabilities in ways you never considered before, and with that, you gain a new perspective on everything. This time has reminded William and I, above all, to reflect and be grateful for the simple but important things in life, which many of us often take for granted.
To simply love and be loved. Doing what I can to stay cancer-free is now my goal. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my road to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to live each day as it comes. However, I hope to return to work and take on some more public engagements in the coming months when I am able.
Despite everything that has happened, I am entering this new stage of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation for life. William and I are very grateful for the support we have received and have drawn a lot of strength from all those who are helping us at this time.
The kindness, empathy and compassion from everyone has been truly touching. To all those who continue their own journey against cancer, I stand with you, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand. From darkness can come light, so let it shine brightly.