Chemo for prevention
Oncologist explains
Kate Middleton on Friday revealed that she has been diagnosed with cancer and would be undergoing “a course of preventative chemotherapy” to treat the condition.
“I am now in the early stages of that treatment,” the Princess of Wales, 42, explained in a video statement, assuring viewers she is “well and getting stronger every day” and asking for “space and privacy” while she completes the preventative chemotherapy.
“For everyone facing this disease, in whatever form, please do not lose faith or hope. You are not alone,” she concluded.
■ What is preventative chemotherapy treatment?
Dr. Marleen Meyers, an oncologist and the director of the Cancer Survivorship Program at NYU Langone’s Perlmutter Cancer Center, said it’s “difficult to comment on [Middleton’s] specific treatment” — since Kensington Palace did not disclose the type of cancer she has or what stage it is in — but that preventative chemotherapy is all about lowering risk.
“Preventive chemo, also called adjuvant chemotherapy, is sometimes used after the primary cancer is removed to try to lower the risk of it coming back,” Meyers said.
The treatment is suitable for someone who is at a higher risk of developing particular types of cancer due to their family history or lifestyle or a precancerous condition.
■ How does it work?
After the successful removal of cancerous or precancerous cells, undetectable microscopic cancer cells may linger in the body and result in recurring cancer months or even years after the initial treatment or entering remission.
Adjuvant chemotherapy — which can last for weeks or up to years — attacks those cells systemically, lowering the risk of recurrence.
■ What types of cancers are treated with preventative chemotherapy?
“We often give preventative chemotherapy for several kinds of cancer to try to eradicate microscopic cells that cannot be seen on scans but can grow if left untreated,” Meyers said, noting it is commonly used to treat “breast, colon or ovarian cancers.”
■ What are the side effects?
Chemotherapy drugs kill fastgrowing cancer cells but can also damage healthy cells, causing short-term gastrointestinal side effects like vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, constipation and weight loss, according to Healthline. It can also result in mouth sores, hair loss, fatigue and anemia.
There are long-term risks as well, such as early menopause or damage to the heart, lungs, kidney or nerves.
But, Meyers notes, the severity of the side effects is contingent on the “specific drugs and the duration of treatment,” which “will depend on the type of cancer.”