pPrincess Catherine said in a video message that tests following her abdominal surgery showed it was cancer. On the advice of the medical team, he is now receiving chemotherapy as a precaution.

Chemotherapy is an anti-cancer drug therapy. So-called adjuvant chemotherapy usually follows tumor removal. It is given to kill any cancer cells that may still be present in the body. This is to reduce the risk of possible relapse.

The drugs used in chemotherapy, usually given as an infusion or tablet, are called cytostatics. Their purpose is to prevent cancer cells from dividing and thus prevent them from multiplying uncontrollably. Radiation therapy or immunotherapy may be used in addition to or as an alternative to chemotherapy.

Several treatment cycles

There are usually several consecutive treatment cycles, often four to six – the exact process depends on the substances used and the patient's health, among other things. The entire treatment with cytostatics can last several months.

It is not possible to make a general statement about the chances of recovery from chemotherapy, as they depend on many factors, such as the type of cancer, the stage of the tumor, the body's response and the age of the patient.

The biggest problem with the use of cytostatics is that they not only affect tumor cells, but also healthy body cells. Those that divide frequently are particularly affected: for example, hair root cells, the mucous membranes of the mouth and intestines, and the hematopoietic system.

This can cause side effects such as hair loss, nausea, inflammation of mucous membranes such as in the mouth, fatigue and exhaustion due to too few red blood cells, and increased susceptibility to infections due to too few white blood cells. Not all chemotherapy results in complete hair loss. After the treatment ends, the hair grows back.

In cancer medicine, patients are usually considered cured if the cancer has not returned after five years. Even then, recurrence cannot be ruled out, but it becomes increasingly unlikely for most tumor types.