Princess Kate's preventative chemotherapy treatment explained by cancer specialist

Preventative chemotherapy usually means a course of anti-cancer drugs that are given to help clear up any cancer cells that might remain in the body after primary cancer treatment, which is in most cases surgery to remove a tumour.

The Princess has not yet returned to public duties but did appear at the Trooping of the Colour event on Saturday, surprising royal fans.

Speaking to Digital Royal Editor Svar Nanan-Sen and Royal Correspondent Cameron Walker on The Royal Record podcast cancer specialist Karol Sikora explained: "It's a time of uncertainty. She's obviously had an operation for cancer, we were asked not to speculate what it was but it was somewhere in the abdomen.

"It was an abdominal operation. She's having preventative chemotherapy, which is usually given for six months.

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"The reason preventive, we call it adjuvant chemotherapy, is given is to reduce the risk of the disease returning.

"So any cells that may have spread there's nothing to see on the scans. But if we think there's a risk of the disease returning, we give adjuvant chemotherapy."

Cameron asked the specialist whether it was correct for Kate to say that "she has good and bad days" with her treatment and he revealed: "The actual day of the treatments are usually not too bad.

"The day after you feel very tired and then it's very unpredictable."

Princess Kate revealed on Friday that she would be attending the Trooping the Colour in a shocking statement.

She said: "I am making good progress, but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days.

"On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting.

"But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.

"My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months.

"On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home."