US defence secretary Lloyd Austin was treated for prostate cancer

Lloyd Austin (AP Photo/ Maya Alleruzzo, File)

US defence secretary Lloyd Austin has prostate cancer and his recent secretive hospital admission was for surgery and later to treat an urinary tract infection related to the operation, doctors have said.

The 70-year-old was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre in Maryland on December 22 and underwent surgery to treat the cancer. He developed the infection a week later.