People around the world are reacting Friday to the news that Princess Kate is being treated for cancer.
Kate Middleton made the announcement after weeks of speculation about her withdrawal from public life.
"There are so many different cancers that can happen in the abdomen, so we can't speculate on what it is and what the prognosis would be," said Dr. Katina Robison, chief of gynecologic oncology at Tufts Medical Center.
She says it's hard to know exactly what the princess is dealing with because she did not say why she had the surgery in the first place, and also did not reveal what kind of cancer she's battling or the type of chemotherapy.
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"With our treatment being much better, we are curing people of cancer all the time," said Robison. "The majority of people who are getting cancer are actually cured of their cancers."
Northeastern University Professor Michelle Carr, who teaches English culture and has made documentaries on the royal family, says Kate's openness is in-line with the royals striving to be more relatable.
"I think it's the changing tide of where the royal family is going and the impact they want to have on the world around them," said Carr. "I would say this is a very big story, as far as the royals are concerned, because generally speaking, they do not come forward about their health issues."
The diagnosis has already led to debate in the United Kingdom.
"Often, the waitlists are very long for people with cancer treatment," said Boston University Professor Kathryn Lamontagne, a British historian who worked at Buckingham Palace.
She says it's already leading to conversation about whether the princess is getting preferential medical treatment.
"There is always this conversation about 'Why is this the case for some people and not for others?'" said Lamontagne. "And about public health care versus private health care. So that debate really has been reignited in the past few hours."
