Updated ,first published
King Charles said his cancer treatment will be scaled back in the new year due to early intervention and advances in medicine.
The 77-year-old was diagnosed with an unspecified form of cancer last February, and made the latest announcement in a televised broadcast as part of a national cancer awareness campaign in Britain.
His recorded message was broadcast on British television on Friday evening (Saturday AEDT) as part of a campaign to encourage people to take advantage of screening that can detect cancer in its early stages when it is easiest to treat.
“Today I am able to share with you the good news that thanks to early diagnosis, effective intervention, and adherence to doctor’s orders, my own schedule of cancer treatment can be reduced in the new year,” he said.
“This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care in recent years.”
The undisclosed cancer was discovered last year during treatment for an enlarged prostate.
Charles’ decision to disclose his diagnosis was a departure for Britain’s royals, who have traditionally considered their health to be a personal matter and shared few details with the public.
Since then, Charles has used his own story to highlight the need for early diagnosis and treatment. Cancer Research UK said it recorded a 33 per cent increase in visits to its website in the weeks after the king’s diagnosis, as people sought information about the signs of cancer.
Charles said he was moved by the community support he had received since his diagnosis. He said he had visited many cancer centres across the country, and was troubled to learn 9 million people in the UK were not up-to-date with cancer screening.
“Early diagnosis quite simply saves lives,” the king said during the televised address. “I know, too, what a difference it has made in my own case, enabling me to continue leading a full and active life even while undergoing treatment.”
The monarch suspended public engagements for about two months after his diagnosis so he could focus on his treatment and recovery. But he continued with state business and retained his constitutional role as head of state.
Charles returned to public facing events in April of last year with a visit to a cancer treatment centre at University College Hospital in central London, where he met with staff and shared stories with fellow cancer patients.
He was hospitalised in March after experiencing side effects from his treatment.
