The Princess of Wales has been diagnosed with cancer with the royal announcing in an emotional video she is in the early stages of undergoing preventative chemotherapy treatment.Kate Middleton underwent major abdominal surgery in London in January this year with doctors thinking her condition was non-cancerous.
However, after the operation, tests found cancer had been present.But how does chemotherapy work and how can it stop cancer from coming back?
Here is what you need to know.Chemotherapy works by killing existing cancer cells and can help prevent the disease coming back.
There are many different types of chemotherapy with the most common types being tablets and liquids that are put directly into the vein (intravenous chemotherapy) which can be given before or after surgery - or on its own.In addition to this, it can also be given in a palliative way, when the cancer has spread and chemotherapy is not being used to cure the disease, but it helps ease symptoms.Even when surgeons believe all the cancer has been removed, Chemotherapy can be used, owing to the risk the disease might come back.