Princess Kate Middleton’s courageous announcement about her recent cancer diagnosis has sparked Americans’ interest in their own health.
Data collected this week by healthcare clinics shows that online searches for the terms “cancer symptoms” have increased by 65 percent.
In addition, data collected by DailyMail.com shows that Google searches using the term “abdominal surgery” – the operation that found the princess’s cancer – have increased by more than 2,000 percent in the past seven days.
The number of studies into the ‘prognosis of ovarian cancer’ increased by 1,550 percent and those into the ‘prognosis of stomach cancer’ by 900 percent.
Searches for “preventative healthcare” are up 90 percent and “prognosis” up 60 percent.
Experts from The Devonshire Clinic, a dermatology practice in Britain, analyzed search data and found that queries for “cancer symptoms” and “cancer tests” also increased after her post, by 41 percent and 40 percent respectively.
Dr. Daniel Landauan oncologist and haematologist, told DailyMail.com since the announcement that patients have become more ‘in tune’ with their bodies and ‘many people are desperate for reassurance that their symptoms are not cancer.’
Kate Middleton posted a video online revealing her cancer diagnosis and that she was receiving preventative chemotherapy
Your browser does not support iframes.
The future Queen of England, 42, announced her diagnosis in an emotional video last week. She thanked the audience for their well wishes and explained that her medical team discovered cancer during her abdominal surgery in January.
Kate received an outpouring of support, with patients and experts alike thanking her for raising awareness of the disease.
Dr. Conal Perrett, dermatological surgeon at the Devonshire clinic in London, said: ‘Raising awareness of the symptoms of cancer plays a crucial role in saving lives. By sharing her experiences, Kate Middleton has not only shed light on the reality of the battle against cancer, but also inspired others to seek help and support.
‘It’s all about understanding, compassion and breaking stigmas, and by speaking out she has become a person to look up to for people facing similar challenges.
“As the data shows, public speaking led others to seek out cancer symptoms and tests, raising awareness and ultimately saving lives.”
Dr. Landau also told this website that the princess’s announcement “offers potential benefit to the general population.”
‘Many people who have neglected their care, believing they are too young and healthy to deal with a serious situation, are now realizing that it really can happen to anyone.’
After surgery, Kate’s doctors recommended preventive chemotherapy, which she has just started.
It has not yet been revealed which type of cancer the mother of three children has.
Thousands responded to the video, with people sharing their own stories of a cancer diagnosis.
According to additional Google statistics, Americans have shown an increased interest in even less obvious cancer-related terms.
“Prostate screening,” “oral cancer screening,” “colon cancer screening,” and “colon cancer symptoms in women” also saw significant increases in searches.
Google processes 8.5 billion searches per day, and the U.S. accounts for about 25 percent of those searches — meaning the increase in searches for cancer-related terms could translate into millions of Americans.
The above shows the most common cancer in each country
The above graph shows the change in cancer rates around the world in people under the age of 50
Kate’s diagnosis, coupled with increased interest in cancer, has shed light on the epidemic of the disease among young people.
Between 1990 and 2019, cancer rates among people under 50 worldwide increased by 79 percent, and deaths increased by 28 percent.
Research shows that the number of diagnoses will continue to increase by 31 percent and the number of deaths by 21 percent by 2030.
That’s what the American Cancer Society estimates 40 percent of Americans will develop the disease during their lifetime – while one in five people diagnosed will die from the disease.
The princess’s case also highlights the importance of cancer screening and early diagnosis.
Although Kate’s stage of the disease has not yet been officially confirmed, it appears that the cancer was caught at an early stage since she is undergoing ‘preventive chemotherapy’.
If tumors have spread to other parts of the body, more aggressive forms of chemotherapy are traditionally given to kill the remaining cancer cells.
Kate also said in her public speech that she is feeling ‘fine’ and has assured her three young children that ‘she is doing well’.
According to the CDC, cancer screenings decreased from 2012 to 2022 health officials and experts emphasize the importance of screening for cancers such as breast and colon cancer, which are on the rise in the US.
The CDC said: ‘Cancer screening, which is different from diagnostic testing, can detect cancer in its early stages before symptoms appear, when it can be treated more successfully.
‘In addition to early detection, screening can prevent colorectal and cervical cancer by identifying precancerous lesions that can be removed before they become cancerous.’
The health agency said cancer screenings could potentially prevent thousands of cancer deaths.
