Kate Middleton's Cancer Journey
- Catherine, the Princess of Wales, better known as Kate Middleton, has spoken out about the “real challenges” that exist after battling cancer as she’s now in remission and embarking on her recovery journey.
- Earlier last year, Middleton revealed that an abdominal surgery she underwent in March led to her discovering that cancer “had been present” in her body. Although she has not specified the exact type of cancer she was diagnosed with, she did undergo, and complete, chemotherapy treatment last year.
- It’s important to remember that survivorship, like in Kate Middleton’s case, isn’t just an end state – it’s a continuous journey that starts at the moment a person is diagnosed with a significant health condition. You might hear people say things like, “from the moment of diagnosis, you become a survivor.”
- It’s a powerful sentiment that reflects the courage and resilience involved in battling a serious illness, and the strength a survivor must possess to cope with the long-term side effects of undergoing cancer treatment.
- Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik says supporters of cancer patients should prepare themselves for a wide range of emotions a cancer diagnosis can spawn. “People can have a range of emotion—they can include fear, anger—and these emotions tend to be fluid.”
Middleton, who has three children, George, Charlotte and Louis, with her husband Prince William, 42, was was diagnosed with cancer earlier last year after undergoing abdominal surgery. She received chemotherapy for treatment, which she completed in September, prior to resuming her royal duties. And although she hasn’t specified the exact type of cancer she was diagnosed with, her resilience has inspired many across the globe.
Read MoreIt’s important to note that cancer survivors often report an effect called “chemobrain,” which Middleton seems to have experienced. It is difficulty with the cognitive ability of mentally processing or understanding things after chemotherapy and other cancer treatments.
Digital Guide: Chemotherapy Side Effects
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She also stressed the importance of “continuity,” which she says is needed “on good days and bad days.”
“I feel like it’s sometimes for the loved ones around us. They need support just as much as I did as the patient,” Middleton explained.
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She also offered some advice to a patient at the hospital, saying, “The resilience you need to get through, first of all, a small taster of what you’ve gone through … It’s to keep coming back … to be as positive as you are.
“The treatments are really so different and so varied, it impacts families differently.”
Expert Resources On Coping With Chemotherapy
- Adjusting Chemo to Mitigate Side Effects
- Chemotherapy Side Effects – Constipation
- Chemotherapy Side Effects – Hair Loss
- Chemotherapy Side Effects – Neuropathy
- Chemotherapy Side Effects – Nausea
- Constipation and Diarrhea: Possible Side Effects from Chemotherapy
- How to Deal With the Side Effects of Chemotherapy
- Treating Chemo Side Effects With Cannabis
Middleton also took to her social media to praise the hospital where she underwent surgery, writing alongside a video clip on her Instagram, showing her talking to others fighting cancer, “The work of the @royalmarsden is world-leading, pioneering and life-saving.
“It’s a remarkable charity supporting advances in cancer research, treatment and care, and the work of a hospital that has done so much for so many.”
Kensington Palace also made a statement about Middleton’s recent hospital visit and decision to take on a new role with her husband as Joint Patrons of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust.
“The patronage update has been announced following a visit by Her Royal Highness to the hospital’s Chelsea site and follows The Princess’ own personal cancer journey, during which she received treatment from The Royal Marsden,” the statement read.
“The visit saw Her Royal Highness meet patients undergoing treatment as well as staff working in different roles across the hospital. The Royal Marsden opened its doors in 1851 as the world’s first hospital dedicated to cancer diagnosis, treatment, research and education. Today, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre operating across three sites in Chelsea, Sutton and Cavendish Square in central London.”
Kensington Palace’s spokesperson concluded, “The Prince of Wales held the role of President of The Royal Marsden from 2007; a position which was previously held by his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales.”
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Last week, when Middleton visited that hospital, not only did she commend the hospital for helping her and others, she confirmed she’s now in remission and focusing on recovery.
She captioned the post, “I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year.
“My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything. We couldn’t have asked for more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional.”
Middleton added, “In my new role as Joint Patron of The Royal Marsden, my hope is, that by supporting groundbreaking research and clinical excellence, as well as promoting patient and family wellbeing, we might save many more lives, and transform the experience of all those impacted by cancer.
It is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focussed on recovery. As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal. I am however looking forward to a fulfilling year ahead. There is much to look forward to. Thank you to everyone for your continued support.”
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Managing Chemotherapy and Its Side Effects
Chemotherapy is an effective tool for oncologists to help treat cancer by stopping cancerous cells from growing, dividing, and spreading to other organs. Chemo works by traveling through the bloodstream, killing cancerous cells. However, the process also impacts healthy cells, leading to side effects.
Among the main side effects is hair loss. It usually begins about three to four weeks after chemotherapy and continues throughout treatment. Hair loss occurs because this treatment targets quickly dividing cells throughout the body, including cancer cells and hair cells.
Most patients can expect regrowth four to six weeks after treatment. However, it is possible when your hair grows back, you may notice some changes in its color and texture. If losing your hair is a concern for you before cancer treatment, know you have options like wigs, hats, wraps, and more.
Other notable symptoms include fatigue, often alongside gastrointestinal side effects, such as nausea. Doctors have many effective medications to combat chemo-induced nausea. “But mitigating that fatigue often depends on the patient,” Dr. Renata R. Urban, gynecologic oncologist at the University of Washington, previously told SurvivorNet.
“Neuropathy is probably one of the most challenging side effects,” Dr. Urban continued.
Neuropathy results from damage to the peripheral nerves. It usually resolves after chemotherapy treatment, but sometimes symptoms can persist. While it’s typically characterized by numbness or a pins-and-needles sensation in the hands and feet, neuropathy can have several different symptoms, including:
- Weakness in the hands or feet
- Stabbing or burning pain in the hands or feet
- Difficulty gripping, such as when holding a fork
- Difficulty with fine motor skills, such as writing or buttoning a shirt
Managing Chemotherapy Side Effects
Nausea and vomiting are common side effects of chemotherapy. When chemotherapy affects the rapidly dividing cells in the stomach lining, the resulting cellular havoc in the gastrointestinal tract can lead to side effects such as nausea and vomiting. However, doctors can help patients mitigate the hit with various medications before, during, and after treatment.
“Part of the chemotherapy prescription includes a set regimen of anti-nausea medications…We also ensure patients have medications at home that they can use should they develop nausea after treatment,” Dr. Urban added.
Fatigue is another possible symptom that has the potential to worsen as chemotherapy cycles add up. If chemotherapy left you with anemia, you can try treating that ease exhaustion. But rest breaks, frequent exercise and getting plenty of sleep at night can also help fight fatigue.
In an earlier interview, Dr. Zachary Reese, a medical oncologist at Intermountain Healthcare, spoke with SurvivorNet about what chemotherapy-related fatigue is like.
“What I typically tell patients is that (chemotherapy) is a bit of a roller coaster ride,” he said. “You’re going to feel tired about a week into treatment, and that’s when you’ll hit bottom. And then you’ll start to come back up again just in time to do it all over. … You’ll feel a little more tired the second time around than you did the first, and it will last a day longer.”
Meanwhile, according to the National Cancer Institute(NCI), chemo brain is “a term commonly used to describe thinking and memory problems that a patient with cancer may have before, during, or after cancer treatment.”
“Signs and symptoms of chemo brain include disorganized behavior or thinking, confusion, memory loss, and trouble concentrating, paying attention, learning, and making decisions,” the institute explains.
The NCI states that this condition, which Middleton admits to experiencing, could be brief or last for many years and researchers say chemo isn’t the sole culprit of chemo brain.
“From many sources of data, we now know patients experience impairments not just after chemo, but after surgery, radiation, hormonal therapy,” and other treatments, said Dr. Patricia Ganz, an oncologist and director of Cancer Prevention and Control Research at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, previously told the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Douglas Blayney, a medical oncologist at Stanford Health Care, has done research on the condition and says “the dysfunction is usually temporary and clears within a year of starting treatment. For some people, its effects are more long-lasting, and may never completely resolve.”
RELATED: Does Your Doctor Believe Chemo Brain is Real?
These patients “have to work harder,” Dr. Ganz said. “Often they’ll get the answer right on a neuropsychology test, but it takes much more effort for them to come up with that” than people who haven’t been exposed to treatment.
Dr. Ganz believes inflammation may be a factor, adding, “If we could identify people who might be more susceptible biologically to this long-term treatment, we could test whether an intervention might be helpful,” she said.
Tips for Navigating Chemo Side Effects
Doctors don’t have an arsenal of prescription medications to combat fatigue. However, you can do several things to help minimize the hit and restore your energy.
- Exercise: While it may be counterintuitive, physical activity can help alleviate side effects, especially fatigue. “Although ovarian cancer is not common, we often draw upon the experience of patients with breast cancer and colon cancer that have shown that physical activity can not only improve quality of life but may also have beneficial impacts on cancer outcomes,” Dr. Urban says.
- Eat well: Even though nausea may interfere with your ability to eat a healthy diet, it’s essential to ensure you’re eating appropriately, getting enough protein, and not losing weight. Not only will nourishing your body support your recovery, but it may also help you feel more energized.
- Sleep: Want to mitigate fatigue? Be sure to maintain your regular sleep-wake cycle while on treatment. Sticking to a set sleep schedule helps reduce fatigue by ensuring enough hours for your body to heal and restore itself each night. It may also help you recover more quickly by keeping energy levels high during the daytime.
Understanding Survivorship
Whether you’re beginning your journey into survivorship or are a seasoned survivor, you’ll quickly learn that it’s a term with many layers. At its simplest, ‘survivorship’ signifies the state of living beyond a challenging event or diagnosis, such as cancer. More specifically, it marks the period after treatment where a patient goes from merely surviving to thriving, as they navigate their newfound lease on life.
It’s important to remember that survivorship, like in Kate Middleton’s case, isn’t just an end state – it’s a continuous journey. It begins the moment a person is diagnosed with a significant health condition and remains throughout their life. You might hear people say things like, “from the moment of diagnosis, you become a survivor.”
It’s a powerful sentiment that reflects the courage and resilience involved in battling a serious illness.
Being a survivor also means redefining your life while coping with the aftermath of disease and its treatment. This phase might include the challenge of dealing with physical and emotional changes, attending regular check-ups, the fear of recurrence, or the need for long-term medication. Despite these hurdles, many survivors find unique strength, growth, and transformation during this time.
Survivorship is much more than just the absence of disease—it’s a new stage of life, a rite of passage. Your journey might not have been one you would have chosen, but through it, you’ll uncover a greater understanding of yourself and what you’re capable of. Each person’s survivorship journey is unique, and how you choose to travel is entirely up to you.
Remember—navigating this new terrain called ‘Survivorship’. It might be challenging, but remember, you’re not alone. There are ample resources and support systems designed to help you along the way.
Continued Medical Care
Don’t lose sight of the importance of continued medical care – always keep your follow-up appointments and adhere to any healthcare recommendations.
Remember, embracing these coping strategies can help you navigate your way into survivorship with greater ease and renewed energy. Just remember – slow and steady wins the race! You’ve overcome huge hurdles, it’s okay to take this new stage of your life at your own pace.
Additionally, health checkups are an integral part of maintaining wellness and spotting potential health issues early. This holds true for everyone, but even more so for a person who’s in the throes of survivorship.
One of the main reasons you’ll want to maintain routine health checks is to monitor for recurrence. While the hope is always for complete recovery, there’s a possibility of the disease returning—even with successful treatment. Regular checkups allow you to keep a vigilant eye on the situation, leading to early detection and treatment if any problem emerges.
Managing Other Health Conditions & Healthy Lifestyle Changes, Matters Too!
A survivorship journey can occasionally lead to new health conditions, including heart problems, diabetes, or osteoporosis. Routine screenings and monitoring help keep these conditions under control, ensuring they don’t escalate into major health risks.
Regular checkups also serve as an opportunity for your health care provider to give advice on healthy lifestyle changes. This includes exercise, a balanced diet, stress management, and quitting habits like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption—factors that can significantly lower the risk of recurrence or other health issues.
‘Adversity and the Art of Happiness,’ How Hardship Makes You Stronger
Power of Support
A cancer diagnosis can be extremely stressful. One way SurvivorNet experts encourage cancer patients to alleviate some of that stress by leaning on their support system.
A support system can be made up of loved ones like family and friends. It can also be comprised of strangers who have come together because of a shared cancer experience. Mental health professionals can also be critical parts of a support system.
WATCH: Sharing details about your cancer diagnosis.
“Some people don’t need to go outside of their family and friend’s circle. They feel like they have enough support there,” psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik told SurvivorNet.
“But for people who feel like they need a little bit more, it’s important to reach out to a mental health professional,” Dr. Plutchik added.
Dr. Plutchik also stressed it is important for people supporting cancer warriors to understand their emotions can vary day-to-day.
“People can have a range of emotions…they can include fear, anger…and these emotions tend to be fluid. They can recede and return based on where someone is in the process,” Dr. Plutchik said.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, here are some questions you can ask your doctor.
- What can I do to prepare for a double mastectomy?
- What happens before and after the procedure?
- What are the benefits of using implants over my own tissue and vice versa?
- What will recovery look like after the procedure?
- Are there local support groups or therapists who specialize in helping people struggling with a chronic condition?
- Can mental health be part of my treatment plan so I get the support I need?
WATCH: How emotional health plays a role in the cancer journey.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.