07 February 2024 , 16:27
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King Charles is surrounded by expert doctors who are supporting him through treatment for cancer.
On Monday evening, His Majesty told the world he had been diagnosed with cancer but remained "wholly positive". The announcement came days after Charles, 75, left the London Clinic where he had been undergoing "routine treatment" for an enlarged prostate.
The palace have not confirmed what type of cancer it is, but has said it's not prostate cancer. It was spotted as a "separate issue of concern" during the prostate procedure. He will step back from public-facing duties during his treatment.
While his wife Queen Camilla and the rest of the royal family will be doing everything they can to support him in the coming weeks, his expert medical team will have the job of getting him back to health. Here, we look at the two biggest players on his team.
Dr Michael Dixon
Dr Michael Dixon, 71, has been head of the Royal Medical Household since 2022. He has an OBE for his services on primary care. His current role is to look after the King and his family. His other responsibilities include being present at family births and deaths that happen while he is employed by the King. He continues to do part-time work at a GP surgery in Devon. He has worked in the NHS for about 50 years, joined the king on trips to Kenya and Germany taking charge on health issues.
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Dr Michael DixonHis appointment raised eyebrows because of his previous support for homeopathic treatments. Based in Cullompton, Devon, he uses “horny goat weed” to treat impotence in patients and “devil’s claw”, an African shrub, to treat pain. He is chairman of the College of Medicine, a campaign group that argues for herbal remedies to be funded on the NHS.
A statement from the palace at the time of his appointment read: "Dr Dixon does not believe homeopathy can cure cancer. His position is that complementary therapies can sit alongside conventional treatments, provided they are safe, appropriate and evidence based."
Ranan Dasgupta
Ranan Dasgupta is the King’s Serjeant Surgeon. He is a urological surgeon who specialises in specific forms of treatment for an enlarged prostate and is based at the London Clinic.
Mr Ranan DasguptaHe was appointed to the Medical Household last March.
He has interests in comprehensive treatments for prostatic enlargement, renal stone management and prevention, neuropathic voiding conditions, and urothelial malignancy, according to the London Clinic's website.