Many people will initially feel more fatigued, which can also last more than a year after treatment finishes.
During treatment, a person may be less active than usual and could lose some muscle strength. So doing a small amount of physical activity regularly can help. However, experts warn doing too much too soon can make a person feel more tired. Eating healthily can also help with recovery.
After cancer treatment ends patients will also usually have check-ups and scans arranged.
Macmillan reminds us patients may need to recover from the emotional impacts, perhaps feeling anxious or uncertain about the future.
What cancer did Kate have?
The palace has never confirmed what type of cancer the Princess of Wales was diagnosed with. It did confirm the cancer was found incidentally while she was having major abdominal surgery for another condition.
What was the “preventative chemotherapy” that the Princess had?
Preventative chemotherapy isn’t an official NHS term for a type of treatment and no further information has been given on Kate’s cancer, or the type of treatment.
There are current treatments that exist called “chemoprevention” which lower the risk of getting cancer, or of it returning in healthy people.
For example, it is currently used for people who have not developed breast cancer but are at increased risk of getting it due to their family history.
In 2021-22 more than 320,000 people received treatment for cancer on the NHS including chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
According to specialists at The Royal Marsden, a cancer hospital in London, chemotherapy can also be called “adjuvant therapy” and is sometimes used to help destroy cancer cells that may remain after surgery or radiotherapy.
