JADE GOODY - JADE'S CANCER 'WORSE THAN FIRST THOUGHT'

JADE'S CANCER 'WORSE THAN FIRST THOUGHT'

Doctors have found cancer cells affecting Jade Goody's body outside her womb after conducting a "successful" hysterectomy operation yesterday.

The Sunday Mirror reports that surgeons found cancerous cells in a ligament behind Jade's uterus, which means the disease has reached 'stage three'.

The term is used to describe cases where the cancer, which was originally diagnosed as cervical only, has spread beyond the initial area.

A "close friend" told the newspaper: "The hysterectomy was successful but they found the cancer had spread.

"They had thought it was at Stage Two and contained in the womb. But it is worse than that.

"It's not the news doctors were hoping for but they believe they have removed all the cancerous cells and she has a decent chance of making a full recovery."

It is now thought the 27-year-old's chances of making a full recovery have dropped from 95 per cent for stage two cancer to just over 50 per cent because it is now in stage three.

Following Jade's eight-hour operation, she now faces a nine-week programme of chemotherapy and radiotherapy at London's Royal Marsden hospital - which specialises in treating cancer patients.

The reality TV star's children, three-year-old Freddie and five-year-old Bobby, are staying with their father - Jade's former partner Jeff Brazier.

Her mother Jackiey Budden is with her in hospital, but on-off boyfriend Jack Tweed is in prison after being jailed for 18 months for assaulting a teenage boy with a golf club.

Jade was informed of her cancer diagnosis while on the Indian version of Big Brother, flying home immediately after tests proved positive.