Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis – what you thought you knew about cancer might be wrong

1. SOMETIMES, YOU CAN'T SPOT CANCER RIGHT AWAY

It is not clear if the princess had symptoms or signs that led her to have abdominal surgery in January as she did not elaborate in her video. And it is difficult for doctors watching from the sidelines to comment as cancer is a "complex and multifaceted disease", said Professor Jimmy So, the head and senior consultant with National University Hospital's (NUH) Division of General Surgery (Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery), Department of Surgery.

"Many types of cancer do not manifest through clear and distinct symptoms in their early stages, making it challenging to identify the disease without detailed investigations," said Prof So, who is also the head and senior consultant with National University Cancer Institute, Singapore (NCIS). As a result, "it is not uncommon for cancer to go undetected until surgery, due to the often non-specific nature of cancer symptoms".

Moreover, there are more than 200 different types of cancer and each affects the body in different ways, he added. "When discussing cancer, especially concerning women, 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 change in urinary or bowel habits", you should always consult a doctor, said Dr Lim Li Min, a consultant with NUH's Division of Gynaecologic Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology as well as NCIS's Division of Gynaecologic Oncology.