January 2018 – CANCER STORY

Woman, why do you allow this to happen to you?

The year 2018 started badly and sadly. I have many “sad” stories to share with you.

Rose is a 49-year-old Indonesian lady. About five years ago she had a swelling in her left breast. She came to a private hospital in Penang and have the lump removed. No further treatment was deemed necessary. The doctor probably thought it was just a fibroadenoma (a common non-cancerous breast lump).

Two years after the surgery, in 2016, the lump grew into a giant fibroadenoma and Rose underwent a mastectomy. Her whole left breast was removed. After surgery in Penang, she was sent home with no further treatment.

In early 2018, Rose started to cough and both her arms and legs are swollen. The lump in her breast grew back again. Rose came back to the same hospital and did a “health screening” test and paid RM 500 for a complied booklet about her health.

Her X-ray report said, “Lung metastasis from ? left breast carcinoma.”

Rose was referred to an oncologist of the hospital. She was told to undergo six cycles of chemotherapy.

Chris: Did you ask the doctor if chemotherapy is going to cure you?

Husband: We never ask.

Rose paid RM 160.00 for this consultation and was given a bottle of cough mixture to bring home!

What can we learn from this pathetic case?

Your health is your responsibility. Many patients think that doctors know best and can fix all their problems. Once they go into the hospital, that’s it — they leave everything to the doctors! If that is your attitude, you will end up like Rose!

Rose found a lump in her breast. She had it removed. Hooray, it was not cancer — that is what everyone likes to hear. Then the lump grew back again — Rose went back to the same doctor and did a mastectomy. Did she ever ask any question — why this and why that? Probably not. The lump did not go away, as it grew bigger, Rose did not bother to consult another doctor — why did she allow the lump to grow so big like in the picture? Because it did not cause any pain, she said! When she started to cough and felt breathless, only then she decided to see the doctor again. She came back to the same hospital to do a “health screening” test. Is that the correct thing to do?

Did Rose get the best of medical treatment? I am not too sure about that. A non-cancer lump became cancerous after two operations — is that a correct diagnosis? Did Rose go to the a “really good” doctor in town?

Remember, not all doctors are the same — in terms of experience, expertise and their empathy towards patients. As I was writing this story, one patient came. He said, The doctor told me there was about 5 liter of fluid in my lung. He tapped out 1 litre. I asked him why he did not remove the remaining 4 litre. He did not answer me. He was arrogant. What do you think of such doctors? Let him treat you again?

Dr. Barry Boyd (in The Cancer Recovery Plan) wrote, “Most doctors don’t bother to counsel their patients after treatment. Once cancer treatment is completed, most patients are left on their own to cope with the rest of their lives. This is what I call falling off the cliff. Patients are left in free fall.”

Is this not what happened to Rose? Cut and cut, but was there any advice as to what to do to prevent or minimize the recurrence of the lump? No — just go home, do and eat what you like! Probably it is just your luck? If more problems crop up come back to us again and we cut you again or chemo you!

A taxi driver at the airport recommended that Rose come and consult us. When Rose came to see us, I thought it was a bit too late. Her health had deteriorated badly. I would try to help the best I can but I know I cannot make the big lump go away. I think it is not the lump that is going to kill her — it is the extensive lung metastasis.

After radiation treatment for his NPC he had radiation-induced sarcoma 17 years later

The year 2018 started badly and sadly. I have many “sad” stories to share with you.

This is an e-mail I received on 1 January 2018.

Dear Dr Chris,

I know you are reluctant to take on emails with regards to consultations, but please at least hear my case first.

I was diagnosed with NPC in 1999, and gone through a course of radiotherapy in Melaka then.

In August last year (2017), I had a lump at the neck and had that lump surgically removed in early September in
Melaka. It turned out to be liposarcoma, as mentioned in the three attached histopathology reports.

Due to the involved margins, I was advised to go for a wider resection, and I did so at NCCS in late.

September 2017). The histopathology report from the second surgery, also attached, showed that the regions are clear. I have attached also the operation report from the second surgery for your reference.

Just a few days back, a CT scan showed that there is a recurrence at the neck near where the earlier tumor was. And for that, I will be travelling to Singapore tomorrow to consult the doctors again; I will most likely need a further surgery to remove the tumor, so said my doctor in Melaka too.

I guess you may well ask that I visit you personally, and that I almost certainly will after the second surgery when I regain my strength, but please at least let me know for now, if you may, the options/paths that are open to me. I have read the testimonies of sarcoma patients at your website, and they offer me glimpses of hope in these dark days of mine.
Thanks, (p/s: Sorry for spoiling your new year with a mail like this)

I got to meet this patient end of January 2018.

Let me briefly outline what had happened.

1999 – diagnosed with nose cancer, NPC, Stage 3 and undergone 30 plus sessions of radiotherapy. No chemo.

Side effects of radiation: dry mouth, thyroid function deteriorated and right shoulder “dropped” down. Study the picture above. His right shoulder is lower than the left.

Patient was okay.

August 2017 — swelling in the right neck. It was malignant.

Early September 2017 — did an operation in Melaka — margin was involved.

End September 2017 — did second surgery in Singapore to remove a wider margin.

6. Mid-December 2017. Recurrence — a lump at the back of the neck.

PET scan on 3 January 2018 confirmed nodal disease.

January 2018 — third surgery was done. After surgery, the right cheek was swollen but is starting to get smaller.

Total cost of the surgeries: About RM 200,000.

Lessons we can learn from this case

If you or your doctors think that you are done with your cancer, unfortunately cancer is not done with you yet.

Many patients don’t want to hear or don’t want to know this — After undergoing all medical treatments you are often told you are cured. To those lucky ones, yes — it may be true especially when patients die first before experiencing any side effects or recurrence!

But if you live long enough, you may learn the sad truth that the cancer is not done with you yet. I have seen cancer comes back again even after 5, 10 or 14 years after an apparent “cure”.

Radiation can cause new cancer down the road.

In this case, the patient had NPC in 1999 and in August 2017 the cancer came back again. Then there is an added dimension to his problem. This is not a recurrence of this previous NPC but another new cancer — radiation-induced sarcoma.

Many patients are not told or are not aware that radiation itself is cancer causing. Many patients after chemotherapy and radiotherapy may end up with another medical-treatment-induced cancer such as leukemia, lymphoma and in this case sarcoma.

Patient had to undergo three operations over the past five months. I took some pictures below — indeed a tragic sight and indeed a sad morning for me.

What can CA Care do to help?

No, I cannot cure him. I have no magic bullet. But I hope to be able to help make his life a bit better. As it is now, he had difficulty swallowing as a result of the surgery. He can only take liquid food. If he drinks “pure” water he coughs. If there is something in the water, then it is okay. Mind boggling indeed. I only hope that our Oral Tea and Throat & Oesophagus Tea can help him in some ways.

In addition, movement appears to be difficult due to the tense muscles. There is no pain but the entire head and neck feel numb. He was put on the e-therapy as a trial. He felt “loosen up” — less muscular tension. I have a feeling that this etherapy would be useful for him.

If patients come to me earlier, before undergoing too much treatments, I guess I could do better. I recall having many patients with NPC. Some have undergone medical treatments mid-way and gave up. Some did not undergo any chemo or radiation. They took herbs and took care of their diet. They survived and did not suffer like this patient.

Well I guess, you think such good results are just fluke shots or these people are just lucky! I have learned early — For those who believe, they believe. For those who don’t want to believe, don’t waste time trying to convince them!

Surgery, 27 times radiation and 16 cycles of chemo failed. Oncologist shrugged and said, “Do more chemo. Try but at same time, just pray.”

More chemo and pray

LW is a 63-year-old lady from Indonesia. This is her sad story.

LW went for a Pap smear every year. Everything seemed okay. In 2014, she was told there was an infection but she need not have to worry!

Not satisfied LW consulted another doctor. She was told she had cancer of the cervix. Immediately she underwent an operation but refused follow-up chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

One year later, a check-up showed that the cancer was still there — meaning the operation did not cure her.

In early 2015, LW came to a private hospital in Penang and underwent 5 cycles of chemotherapy. She also had 25 sessions of radiotherapy and two times of brachytherapy (internal radiation).

In June 2016, examination showed LW still had cancer. She underwent another 6 cycles of chemotherapy. This time radiotherapy was not indicated.

After completion of the treatment, a PET scan on March 2017 showed the cancer did not go away. Again LW underwent another 6 cycles of chemotherapy. The treatment was completed in mid-December 2017.

A PET-CT scan on 9 January 2018 showed the following:

Metabolic active lymph nodes in both hila, subcarinal and middle mediastinum — slight decreased in size, measuring 1.6 cm.
Metabolic active lymph nodes at para-aortic and para-caval region and bilateral common iliac region — slight increase in size.
Metabolic active left cervical lymph node at level 2 — measuring 1.2 cm.
Metabolic active left cervical lymph node at level 4 — measuring 1.8 cm.

In simple language, the chemotherapy and radiation treatments thus far did not cure LW.

Chris: Did you ask your oncologist why he cannot cure you?

The oncologist shrugged and could not answer. He only suggested that LW undergo more chemo! Kita berusha saja sambil berdoa (we try and at the same pray!).

Comments

What can cancer patients learn from this case — i.e. if you want to learn!

Ken Murray is a Family Medicine doctor. He said, Poor knowledge and misguided expections lead to a lot of bad decision.

Kathleen Phalen in her book, Integrative Medicine, she wrote, We’ve been misguided into thinking that our doctors … are deities capable of performing the greatest of miracles.

Dr.Edward Creagan (in How NOT to be my patient) said, The doctor does not always know the best … some (patients) still believe that the doctor knows best. We don’t … You can guard against being an innocent victim.

In simple language I would say, Read, educate and empower yourself. It is you and you alone who suffer the consequences of whatever treatments you undergo. Here again, I must say straight and blunt, Cancer patients do not read! They prefer to be led by the nose.

Three rounds of chemotherapy (in addition to surgery and radiotherapy) did not cure her cancer, yet LW was asked to more of the same. Is that logical? When will you stop putting poison into your body?

Remember what Albert Einstein said, Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Think back, when chemo after chemo failed, did your doctor ever admit that what he was doing for you is wrong? No? And did he try to find a scapegoat? And why are you so dumb and “insane”?

An Indonesian lady had surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and Tamoxifen. After five years she was told by her oncologist that she was cured! One year later a bone scan showed extensive metastasis to the bones. The oncologist told her it was no fault of anyone, “it is just your luck.” Ho, ho, bad karma?

Another Indonesian lady had similar treatment for her breast cancer. She had chemos after chemos for almost three years, yet the cancer did go away. Doc., why am I not cured? The oncologist said, Ibu, ini tidak bisa sembuh (Mama, this cannot be cured). This “confession” came after 3 years of chemo and the patient having to sell a piece of land to pay for the RM300,000-treatment. The question to ask, Why is the truth not told at the very beginning, and not after all treatments had failed?

A young Malaysia lady had breast cancer and her husband brought her to a very famous oncologist. The oncologist told the husband and the patient, No problem the lump is small, Stage 2. I can cure her. Do chemotherapy right away — this afternoon.

The husband trusted this oncologist so much that in his heart he felt God had sent him to this “great” doctor and this doctor is the one who is going to cure his wife — not God.

This young lady had chemo after chemo — and after spending RM500,000 — she was not cured. Within a year, the cancer spread to her brain. The husband asked the oncologist why? His reply, I am not Jesus. How do I know it will recur.

George Lundberg was fired after 17 years being the editor of the Journal of the American Medical Association. Reflect seriously what he wrote in his book, Severed Trust, Physicians’ ego is enormous. The god image has been around for ages. They don’t like to make mistake. It’s even hard for them to acknowledge that they are capable of making mistakes.

In his book, Second Opinions, Jerome Groopman, professor at Harvard Medical School wrote, Physicians are not used to admitting when they are wrong and plainly stating to the patients and family that an error was made … or an incorrect drug prescribed.

Harold Kushner is a Jewish rabbi who I have great respect for. In one of his books he wrote, Many people use God like an aspirin and some use God as antibiotics!

There is no cure for cancer! I have been helping cancer patients for 20 plus years. I have come to the conclusion that there is no cure for cancer! It will come back — 5, 10,or even 20 years later, even after an “apparent” cure!

Let us not fool anyone. So when patients come to CA Care, the first information dished out to you is, If you come to us hoping to find a magic bullet to cure your cancer, then this is the wrong place. We don’t have any magic bullet. We want be honest and truthful from the very beginning.

No cure does not mean you are going to die soon. Far from it. We shall try our best to help you. I have patients who come to us after their doctors said they only 3 to 6 months to live! The reality is some of these patients are still alive after 3 to 10 years! What more do you want?

In this video, this is exactly what I told LW. Everyone has to die one day — it does not matter if you get cancer or not. For each day that you are alive, learn to be grateful to God for being able to see another day. Unfortunately not many patients have this sense of gratitude.

Yes, I believe in the power of prayer. I believe God heals you — not my herbs. I want to be careful not to use God as an aspirin or antibiotic. At CA Care we want you to learn to trust your God — whatever God you believe in, that’s okay with me (even though I am a Christian).

When you pray, ask God to give you the wisdom to do what is right. Ask Him to guide you and show you the correct path to good health. Don’t only ask, you need to WALK that path! Do something positive for yourself.

I think the key to any healing is to realize that good health is your responsibility. You decide whether you want to get sick or to be healthy. God is fair. Don’t blame God for your sickness or failures.

Surgery did not cure his liver cancer

LKS is a 63-year-old man. Eight years ago he was diagnosed with liver cancer and underwent a surgery. His gall bladder and part of his liver was removed. According to the surgeon there was no need for follow up chemo. There was no need to take medication either.

LKS was well and went back to his normal life — of course, eating what likes.

In late December 2017 (eight years after his surgery), LKS had wind in his abdomen and he had difficulty emptying his bowel. He went back to the same hospital where he had his surgery and did a CT scan.

LKS was told there was fluid in his abdomen. He was prescribed some medication and sent home. He was told nothing else could be done.

LKS and his family came to seek our help in mid January 2018. He presented with distended abdomen, otherwise he was alright.

His liver function test done on 19 December 2017 was as below.

Albumin	34 L
Globulin	46 H
Total bilirubin	73 H
Alkaline phosphatase	307 H
GGT	349 H
AST	136 H
ALT	44

LKS was prescribed liver herbs in addition to herbs for his abdominal distention. Within a week he felt better. Unfortunately this improvement did not last! LKS felt hungry and went to supermarket and bought some “instant food stuff” to eat. He was back to square one!

Comments

Most patients never learn. In spite of us spending hours telling them to stick to healthy diet, they would sure go back to their “bad” diet the moment they feel well. This is my advice to all patients who come and see us. If you want to take our herbs, take care of your diet. If you want to eat anything you like, then don’t come and see us. Yes, your doctors say you can eat you like or your diet has nothing to do with your cancer! Our 20 plus years of experience tell us otherwise — diet plays a vital role in cancer healing!

No need to listen to me. Read what other “enlightened” doctors have got to say.

The take home message of this case is there for you to see! Surgery does not cure liver cancer.

Yes, surgery can buy you some time. After surgery you may be told it is all “taken care off” or “I got the cancer all out”. Don’t be taken up by such assurance — I have seen enough cases of recurrence to tell you that such advice is misplaced and misguided. A misinformation.