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Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni Announces Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment in China
Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni, aged 72, announced on Friday that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer during a medical examination in Beijing. He plans to undergo treatment in China, where he and his mother traveled for routine checkups at the end of February. The king's role as constitutional monarch is largely ceremonial.
Apr 10, 7:04 AM·1m read1 source
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Cambodia's King Norodom Sihamoni announced on Friday that he has prostate cancer and will undergo treatment in China. The 72-year-old constitutional monarch made the announcement in a statement posted on his Facebook account, which was also carried by Cambodia's state news agency AKP. He was diagnosed with the disease during a medical examination at a state hospital in Beijing.
The king and his mother, Queen Mother Norodom Monineath, traveled to China at the end of February for routine checkups. Sihamoni's statement did not specify the severity of his condition. Prostate cancer is generally treatable if detected early, according to medical sources.
King King Norodom Sihamoni ascended to the throne in October 2004, a week after his father, King Norodom Sihanouk, abdicated.
Sihanouk had been diagnosed with prostate cancer as early as 1993 and received medical care in China. He died in Beijing in 2012 at the age of 89. Sihamoni's role as king is largely ceremonial, and he maintains a low public profile.
Before becoming king, he served as Cambodia's ambassador to UNESCO. He was previously known as a classical ballet dancer and is unmarried with no children.
cancer affects about one in eight men during their lifetimes, according to the American Cancer Society.
The disease's treatability depends on early detection. The king's announcement highlights ongoing medical ties between Cambodia's royal family and China, as seen with his father's treatment. No further details were provided on the treatment timeline or expected outcomes.
The announcement comes amid Cambodia's constitutional monarchy system, where the king's duties are symbolic. Public response and any adjustments to royal duties remain to be seen.
