King Charles warned not to overdo it during cancer treatment | Tech News
A leading cancer doctor has warned the famously hard-working King Charles not to overexert himself while undergoing cancer treatment.
Buckingham Palace revealed last night that the monarch had an unspecified type of cancer, and began treatment yesterday.
While the King has postponed public engagements, the statement added: ‘Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.’
Following the news, Lawrence Young, professor of molecular oncology at Warwick Medical School, said: ‘One of the symptoms of cancer is unexplained tiredness, and cancer treatment often results in fatigue.
‘More than 80% of people with cancer experience fatigue while receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy. It is likely that the King will experience fatigue as he receives treatment and so it is sensible that he is postponing his public duties.’
The Queen and the Prince of Wales are expected to take on more royal duties in his absence.
However, with the King continuing to work behind the scenes, Professor Young warned against overdoing it while undergoing treatment.
‘The King will have to be very careful not to overexert himself while he is going through cancer therapy,’ he said.
Although it is not yet known what type of treatment King Charles is receiving, cancer treatment is notoriously aggressive.
And while continuing to work may be a welcome diversion for the King, who has been described as a ‘workaholic’, Professor Young said the focus must be on his recovery.
‘While having something else to think about during therapy can be a helpful distraction, it will be important to allow his body to rest and repair,’ he said.
The King’s diagnosis came following a procedure for an enlarged prostate, during which doctors noticed another issue of concern.
The Palace confirmed it was not prostate cancer.
‘He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible,’ the statement said.
‘His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.’
Following the news that King Charles was undergoing treatment for an enlarged prostate, there was a 1,000% increase in searches about the condition on the NHS website.
The King’s diagnosis comes weeks after Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, was diagnosed with skin cancer, having previously been treated for breast cancer.
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