Treatment to be scaled back due to early intervention

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.