This morning, 8 March 2018, is indeed a “rotten” morning. Why? Two patients came, one after another, with a rotten breast. It was so sad. Why do women allow such thing to happen to them?

After that a young lady came on behalf of her sister who had breast cancer. She had undergone all medical treatments — surgery, chemo and radiation. Less than three years later, the cancer spread to her liver. She was admitted into a hospital to drain off fluid from her abdomen. The oncologist asked her to do chemotherapy right away. The family hesitated and wanted us to help her.

I told the sister, I am afraid I cannot help her. She is in the hospital  under the care of an oncologist. How could I interfere? Also, I have no magic cure. The sister broke down and cried, pleading that her sister’s children are still small. Sad. But this is the reality. Such thing happen very often — I have seen enough of them.

Learning about three disasters in one morning is about the limit! No more please!

The fourth breast cancer case this morning is about a 69-year-old lady who had a mastectomy. After the surgery, the doctor referred her to an oncologist for follow-up chemotherapy. The family refused the treatment. On the next follow-up with the doctor, the daughter asked the doctor to suggest an alternative therapy. Apparently this doctor understood the predicament the family was in. He sent the family to see CA Care! (such a thing rarely happens! Unique! More on this in later posting).

Now, let us talk about rotten breasts and how some naive women end up with it.

Ibu A is 69 years old. She found a lump above her breast about three years ago. She did nothing about it. The lump grew bigger. In early 2018, she went to a doctor and did a biopsy. It was cancerous. The doctor suggested an operation but Ibu A refused. She came and seek our advice.

This was my advice to her that morning.

Ibu B is 51 years old. About two years ago she felt a big lump in her breast. She does not know when this lump came about. After the discovery of the lump, she refused to seek medical help. Instead, she went to an acupunturist-cum-herbalist. She was prescribed herbs and she had been taking the herbs until a wound developed in her breast like below.

She was adamant of not wanting to see any doctor and came to seek our help. (Note: I came to know later that her sister is actually a medical doctor who also has breast cancer in both breasts. The medical doctor sister is now undergoing chemotherapy. But Ibu B chooses not to follow her sister’s path).

This was my advice to her that morning.

Comments

Both these ladies came to seek our help, hoping that we can cure their already rotten, cancerous breast. No, we cannot cure.

To both of them (and also those ladies out there, harbouring the same attitude) I have this advice:

1. If you find a lump in your breast, it is best that you see a doctor. Determine if it is cancerous or not. If it is, have the lump removed cleanly. I stress, CLEANLY. Because of that I would suggest that you go for a mastectomy rather than a lumpectomy.

I am aware that research has shown that a lumpectomy is just as effective as a mastectomy. But, that is when the doctor removes the lump cleanly — what if the doctor leaves some cancerous tissues behind?

Don’t ever believe that herbs, taking supplements, etc., etc. can make the cancerous lump go away. You will be taking a great risk. My twenty-over-years of experience tells me that herbs may make non-cancerous lump or cyst in the breast  go away but not cancerous lump.

2. After the surgery, you are often told to go for chemotherapy, radiotherapy or hormonal therapy. If you want to follow your doctor’s recommendation, it is your decision. But if you want an alternative path, you can come and see us.

3. In the case of Ibu A, the situation is rather tricky. She is already 87 years old. Can she survive a mastectomy? I don’t know. Let the medical experts decide on that.

After the surgery, Ibu A can come back to see us again for help. This is because she and her family would not want further treatments like chemo or radiation.

On the other hand, if Ibu A is asked to undergo chemotherapy before the surgery, this is another tricky matter. In fact Ibu requested that I prescribe her herbs instead asking her to see a surgeon. I told her that I would give her the herbs if the surgeon does not want to operate on her or ask her to do chemo first.

But for Ibu B. The situation is different. She is still young. She must get the rotten mass removed first before starting on the herbs.

4. If patients want know where to go for the operation in Penang, I suggest that they go to Dr. A of Hospital B or Dr. C of Hospital D. Over the years, patients tell me that these two doctors are good, considerate and compassionate. Go to these doctors.