Until now, it is not clear whether the woman who has the title Duchess of Cambridge had any symptoms or signs that led her to undergo stomach surgery last January. Kate doesn’t explain this in her video.
Therefore, it is difficult for doctors and health experts to provide opinions on this matter. Moreover, cancer is a “complex and multifaceted disease”, said Professor Jimmy So, head and senior consultant at the Division of General Surgery (Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery), Department of Surgery at the National University Hospital (NUH) Singapore.
“Many types of cancer do not show clear symptoms or have different symptoms in the early stages, so it is difficult to identify this disease without a detailed examination,” said Prof So, who is also head and senior consultant at the National University Cancer Institute (NCIS), Singapore.
As a result, “it is not uncommon for cancer to go undetected until surgery, due to the often non-specific nature of cancer symptoms.”
Additionally, there are more than 200 different types of cancer and each affects the body in different ways, he added.
“When it comes to cancer, especially as it relates to the female body, there is a wide spectrum of conditions such as ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, and many others.”
In any case, when there are signs such as “persistent symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, loss of appetite, abdominal pain or distension, and changes in urination or defecation habits”, we should always consult a doctor, said Dr. Lim Li Min, consultant in the NUH Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and NCIS Division of Gynecologic Oncology.
