King Charles shares ‘good news’ that his cancer treatment will be reduced

In a personal message, King Charles shared the “good news” about his cancer, saying early detection and “effective intervention” meant his treatment could be scaled back in the new year.

In a recorded video message broadcast on Channel 4 for the Stand Up to Cancer campaign, the King said: “This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testament to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer treatment.”

This news that he responded well to treatment was the biggest development regarding the King’s health condition. Since announcing his diagnosis in February 2024.

The type of cancer has not been determined and treatment and monitoring will continue, but “early detection quite simply saves lives,” he said.

According to Buckingham Palace, the King’s recovery has reached a very positive stage and he has “responded extremely well to treatment”, so much so that doctors will now move his treatment to the “precautionary phase”.

The regularity of treatment will be significantly reduced, but the 77-year-old King is not said to be recovering or “recovered”.

In his speech, the King said, “Today, I can share with you the good news that my own cancer treatment program can be shortened in the new year, thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention and compliance with ‘doctors’ instructions’.” he said.

The video message, recorded at Clarence House two weeks ago, was played on Channel 4’s Stand Up To Cancer program on Friday evening as part of a fundraising project with Cancer Research UK.

The campaign encourages more people to get tested for cancer and take advantage of national screening programmes, and the King’s message emphasizes the importance of checks to catch cancer at an early stage.

“I know from my own experience that a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, but I also know that early detection is the key that can transform treatment journeys and save medical teams invaluable time,” King said.

Early detection could be a lifesaver, he said: “Your life, or the life of someone you love, may depend upon it.”

King also described how deeply moved he was by “what I can only call the ‘community of care’ that surrounds every cancer patient: the specialists, nurses, researchers and volunteers who work tirelessly to save and improve lives.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the King’s announcement was a “strong message”.

“I know I speak on behalf of the entire country when I say how pleased I am that cancer treatments are decreasing in the new year,” he added.

So far King has said little publicly about his illness.

He appeared not to want to be defined by the disease, and his approach was to continue working with a busy schedule that included trips abroad and hosting state visits, including one by the German president last week.

He was sending a message of optimism and seasonal “hope” when he attended a meeting a few days ago. atmospheric, candlelit Advent service In Westminster Abbey.

The Stand Up To Cancer show, hosted by celebrities including Davina McCall, Adam Hills and Clare Balding, urged people not to be afraid to get checked for cancer.

The program appealed to an estimated nine million people, particularly in the UK, who Cancer Research UK said were unaware of NHS screening programmes, offering people an online check to see if they were eligible for tests for breast, bowel and cervical cancer.

The King said it “deeply disturbs me” that this represents nine million missed opportunities to catch cancer early and urged people to use the method. scan controller online tool.

“Statistics speak very clearly. To give an example: When bowel cancer is detected at the earliest stage, 9 out of 10 people survive for at least 5 years. When diagnosed late, this rate drops to 1 in 10,” he said.

According to royal sources, the King’s mention of bowel cancer should not be seen as linked to his own condition, and prostate cancer had previously been ignored.

To demystify cancer checks and demonstrate the value of early detection, Stand Up to Cancer broadcast live from cancer clinics at Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth hospitals in Cambridge.

“I want to take the fear out of cancer screening and show everyone that they are not alone in this,” McCall, 58, said. who said that recently She was recovering from breast cancer surgery.

There are currently three NHS cancer screening programs (for bowel, breast and cervical cancer) in the UK for specific age groups.

A new lung cancer screening program is also slowly being rolled out for anyone at high risk of developing the disease, specifically targeting smokers or former smokers aged 55 to 74.

Men can get information about prostate cancer checks, but there is no national program.

The Stand Up to Cancer project, which has raised £113 million since 2012, is funding 73 clinical trials involving 13,000 cancer patients.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said public figures who spoke openly about cancer could encourage others to get checked.

“Detecting cancer early can make a real difference and provide the best chance of successful treatment,” he said.