King Norodom Sihanouk on Thursday released the results of a battery of medical tests performed on him by Chinese doctors in Beijing.
The 81-year-old monarch was diagnosed with a long list of ailments, including arteriosclerosis, or narrowed arteries; isolated bulla, or a bubble, in the inferior lobe of the right lung; lacunar infarctions in the brain, or a small part of brain tissue that has died, either due to a lack of blood supply or blood clot; chronic pharyngitis, or sore throat; and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the white blood cells, which the report said was now in remission.
The King, who has repeatedly warned of his deteriorating health in recent years, has been in Beijing since late January.
But while the diagnoses may appear daunting, they are perfectly normal for a person his age—and most of the ailments listed are not serious, said one Western medical doctor in Phnom Penh, who examined the King’s health report on Thursday.
While arteriosclerosis may increase the risk of heart attack or stroke, the King appeared “no more at risk than any other person of his age,” the doctor said.
And although the median survival of patients with Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is six to eight years, there are several different types of the disease—some of which are serious and some which are not, the doctor said.
He said the report did not provide enough information for him to determine which type the King had, but he said, “it looks to be under control, that’s the main thing.”
Checks on King Sihanouk’s blood sugar levels appeared to be normal, as did an MRI of his head, which showed “no obviously abnormal findings,” according to the report.
Diagnoses of hyperlipemia, or “a lot of fat in the blood,” and fatty infiltration of the liver indicated the King may be “leading a life of luxury,” the doctor said.
But, all in all, he said, “A lot of these things happen when you get older.”
According to the report, King Sihanouk’s own physicians offered a number of suggestions to their royal patient, including exercise, a low-cholesterol, low-fat and low-sugar diet and regular health checks.
