Duchess of York told by doctors her skin cancer has not spread, say friends
Doctors have told the Duchess of York that there appears to have been no spread of her skin cancer following another bout of surgery.
Sarah Ferguson, 64, was told by doctors in January they had found a malignant melanoma during a second round of reconstructive surgery, following her breast cancer diagnosis last year.
The Duchess has now undergone further surgery to examine the area around the mole that was found to be malignant, as well as her lymph nodes.
A friend said she has learnt these were all “free of cancer” and doctors believe the disease has not spread.
While she must remain vigilant and have regular 12-week check-ups, the news is the “best possible outcome she could have hoped for”, and her prognosis is good.
The Duchess’s friend told The Daily Mail: “It is a huge relief for Sarah and the entire family after the most stressful time.”
Sources close to the Duchess said that while doctors are reluctant to use the term “cancer free” there was very much cause for optimism.
The friend added: “She was heartened to see there was an upsurge in people checking for details of melanoma on the NHS website after she made her diagnosis public.
“Her intention will be to get the message out about the importance of being vigilant about checking the size, shape, colour and texture of moles. If melanoma is caught early, it can be treated very effectively.”
During her second bout of reconstructive surgery last year, the Duchess’ dermatologist asked for some of her moles to be removed and tested, leading to her diagnosis.
The Duchess is now understood to be planning to celebrate her good news with a trip to Australia in the coming days to see her sister and take part in Global Citizen Now in Melbourne. The summit is designed to end extreme poverty around the world and focus on the climate change crisis.
The Duchess’s father, Major Ronald Ferguson, was having treatment for skin cancer shortly before he died in 2003. In 1999 the Duchess’s best friend and former flatmate, Carolyn Cotterell, died at only 43, following an 18-month battle with the disease.
