What is preventative chemotherapy, the cancer treatment Kate Middleton is receiving

Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, has confirmed that her successful surgery in January had identified cancer and that she is undergoing “preventative chemotherapy”, also known as adjuvant therapy.

The Princess of Wales underwent “planned abdominal surgery” on January 17 of this year, which was a success according to Kensington Palace. She returned home on January 29.

What is preventative or adjuvant chemotherapy for cancer

Chemotherapy uses drugs containing chemicals that kills fast-growing cells in the human body. This is often used to treat cancer. It works because cancer cells grow faster and multiply more quickly than normal cells.

Preventative or adjuvant chemotherapy is often used after primary treatments, such as surgery, to reduce the chance of cancer returning. As the Mayo Clinic explains: “Even if your surgery was successful at removing all visible cancer, microscopic bits of cancer sometimes remain and are undetectable with current methods.”

While this chemotherapy cannot guarantee that cancer won’t recur, it does reduce the risk.

Please note that at the moment we know nothing of the specifics of Kate Middleton’s condition and this information is about preventative chemotherapy treatment generally. Kensington Palace has specifically asked the media not to speculate about her situation.