----Documentary of Dr. Ke’s Clinical Reception
Author: Dr. Ke Liqun from Modern Cancer Hospital
Guangzhou
The person
who sat opposite to me was an elderly mother of a cancer patient. From her look
of great concern and anxiety, I knew she was a good mother. As we met, she
frankly told me, “This is my sixth time to consult Chinese expert.” I handed a
cup of tea to her and replied to her with smile, “After you consult with me, I
am sure that you will not find the seventh Chinese specialist anymore.”
According to
this mother, I knew that her daughter, a breast cancer patient, was 36 years
old. Two years ago, she took surgery first, and then six sessions of
chemotherapy, later oral tamoxifen (an anticancer hormone drug). After one year, she discovered cancer came back with
metastasis to liver and lung during her regular check-up. Subsequently, she
took treatment in Singapore where the doctor made her a plan of 8 sessions of
chemotherapy. So far, she had finished 7 sessions. Although the lesions in her
lung shrank, the tumor in her liver did not.
I verified
her statement after I compared two CT photos before and after treatment. I
asked, “What may you want me to help?” She answered, “Singapore doctors said
they only have chemotherapy, while a Chinese professor recommends me 125I seed
implantation, and some advise me interventional therapy and cryotherapy. I want
to ask for your suggestion.”
“It’s sad
that cancer metastasized to liver and lung so quickly after breast cancer
surgery”, rather than answered her questions directly, I said, “If the patient
took several sessions of preoperative chemotherapy, then surgery, and lastly
chemotherapy and radiotherapy, she would not be in this current condition.” The
old woman blurted out, “Yes, Singapore doctor also holds the same opinion.”
Then, I
explained the applicable time, efficacy, limitation and side effects to use
surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy for advanced breast cancer, as well as
their mechanism of immunity damage and promotion of cancer recurrence and
metastasis in detail. Furthermore, I pointed out that her daughter was a victim
of conventional cancer treatment, taking treatment meanwhile getting cancer
metastasis. “I also know that chemotherapy cannot work anymore”, she sighed, “On
the one hand, we haven’t found out a reliable treatment to replace chemotherapy
yet. On the other hand, my daughter firmly trusts Singapore medical technology.
” When she asked whether there were any reliable alternative treatments in
China, I made a detailed introduction of principles, advantages, applications
and operating processes of cryotherapy, interventional therapy and particle
nanoknife to her, which substituted for surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy
respectively. Besides, I suggested her daughter come for consultation
personally. However, the old women said, “Since she was diagnosed with cancer,
she hasn’t wanted to see anyone, even her friends. I have persuaded her to see
Chinese doctors for many times, but was rejected. ”
Two days
later, this old woman visited our office again, leading her husband and her son
in this time. Her husband said he and his son were doctors, and his wife was a
retired pharmacist. They aimed to explore hormone therapy with me.
He asked, “My daughter’s breast cancer is ER-positive (estrogen
receptor-positive). Why can’t tamoxifen prevent her cancer metastasis?”
“Your
question is very professional”, I said, “Indeed, estrogen is highly correlated
with breast cancer development. Since the early 1990s, people take estrogen as
the high-risk factor of breast cancer. But it is not the only factor that
causes cancer. Because tamoxifen plays a role in resisting estrogen, applying
tamoxifen as adjuvant therapy to ER-positive breast cancer patients can lower
metastasis rate by 65%. In other words, about one third of ER-positive breast
cancer patients cannot benefit from tamoxifen. ”
“Now that
tamoxifen doesn’t take effect on antiestrogen, is there any help to eliminate
the source of estrogen by removing my daughter’s ovary and womb?” The patient’s
father questioned me closely.
I said, “Your
thought is very fashionable, which has theory basis and supporting cases.” And
then I took a foreign star who removed her ovary and womb to prevent breast
cancer as an example. I continued to say, “However, as I say, estrogen is not
the only factor to cause breast cancer. There are other factors causing breast
cancer. Under the situation that tamoxifen doesn’t work, it may be backfired that
to lie hopes on removing ovary and womb to control advanced breast cancer. Moreover,
your daughter’s breast cancer has spread extensively. Is there any gynecologist
who takes adventure to cut out a normal ovary and a normal womb for unreliable
effect? Even given a lot of guts, he or she dare not!” At last, I showed my
greetings and wishes to the patients, conveyed by them. I encouraged the
patient to have confidence and patience to fight against cancer, and to have
positive and optimistic attitude as the return for family love. Besides, I gave
her some guidance in daily life.
A week later,
the patient’s mother excitedly called and told me her daughter wanted to see
me.
The patient was a cool and young lady, unlike an advanced
cancer patient. I stood up, hold her hands and said, “Thank God, you’re here.” On
seeing her surprised look, I promptly explained, “There is a humorous Chinese host
from CCTV (China Central Television), similar to the figure of English Mr.
Bean. He hosts a program called ‘Thank God, you’re here’ which is popular in
China. ” As she smiled, I said, “To welcome you, I specially prepare an egg for
you. But it is not for you to eat, but a prop to answer your questions.”
She asked me the first question, “At the very start, my
doctor told me that my disease is not so serious, which can be treated well.
Why does the cancer metastasize so quickly? ”
I replied, “It
is related to the substandard of the first treatment. But it is not the main reason.
And here is the origin to cause breast cancer development and worsening. On the
one side, cancer stem cells are crazy to copy and produce cancer cells without
limitations; on the other side, the body immunity cannot recognize and kill so
much cancer cells. Those two reasons combine together to become a tumor which
grows and spreads constantly. Let’s look at this egg, the most primordial stem
cell of chicken. Compared with a normal cell of chicken, except for its bigger
size, the egg has a layer of thick shell. Human cancer stem cell has the
similar structure of egg shell, so it is not afraid of chemotherapy and
radiotherapy. Before taking tumor removal surgery, if cancer stem cells move to
other organs or tissues and grow there, it is difficult to prevent cancer recurrence
and metastasis no matter how much chemotherapy and radiotherapy we do later. It
is well known that the treatment effect of surgery for the early cancer is
remarkable. And people hold that it is unnecessary to take chemotherapy and
radiotherapy for most of early cancer patients after operation. Why? Because
the cancer stem cell at the early stage of cancer is still in the central of
the tumor to grow stronger without moving outside. At this time, via surgery,
cancer stem cell can be eliminated with the whole tumor. As for your present
condition, the ideal treatment plan cannot be lack of intervention for cancer
stem cell. Apart from surgery, there are minimally invasive treatments to
intervene cancer stem cells and cancer cells in your body, including cryotherapy,
microwave ablation, radio frequency, energetic particle
etc. They can kill cancer towards its source. Moreover, if they are combined
with immunotherapy, it will make your condition even better.”
She asked an aggressive question, “What you say above is
very nice. But I have a friend who is a breast cancer patient too. At first she
went to Guangzhou to get treatment, but her condition was worse and worse. Until
she was transferred to Singapore hospital, her condition got control. Could you
please tell me why?”
I answered,
“First of all, Guangzhou is one of three biggest cities in China. There are many
cancer hospitals with various cancer treatments in Guangzhou. So, could you
please tell me which hospital your friend was admitted to? What treatments did
she take? Secondly, minimally invasive therapy, as I say, is a new and high-end
cancer treatment project. It highly demands for good equipments, and especially
suitable treatment programme and high level of doctor’s medical techniques.
That is to say, treatment effect of minimally invasive therapy is bound up with
merit of doctor’s techniques and advancement of medical equipments. Different doctor
operates different equipment, and the efficacy is different. Besides, the treatment effect also depends on the
individual condition. Thirdly, your mom told me that you haven’t smiled since
you got sick. But today, when I said the first sentence to you, I saw you
smiling. So, I believe if you can receive better treatment, smile will be
always on your face, increasing more joys to your families and friends.”
Two weeks later, Indonesian
patient Chandra, accompanied by her family, flied to Guangzhou to begin her
special treatment trip in Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou.
