| Case 1 | | | | was hard. A CT scan showed a 4 mm nodule in the |
| Jean (not real name) is a 56-year-old female. | | | | peripheral upper lobe of her right lung. There were |
| Sometime in 2004, she felt a hard, flat lump in her | | | | multiple nodules in both lobes of her liver. There was |
| right breast. A mastectomy was done in October | | | | also a local lytic lesion in her L2 vertebra. There was |
| 2004. The pathology report indicated infiltrating ductal | | | | slight central disc protrusion at C5/6. These findings |
| carcinoma, Grade 3. | | | | indicated that the caner had spread to her liver and |
| Jean underwent six cycles of chemotherapy with | | | | bone. According to the radiologist, the lesion in her |
| FEC (5-FU + Epirubicin + cyclophosphamide). In | | | | lung was probably a granuloma. |
| addition, she had twenty sessions of radiation | | | | Li underwent another six cycles of chemotherapy. |
| treatment. All treatments were completed in June | | | | After the fourth chemo-cycle, a CT scan indicated |
| 2006. | | | | that there was reduction of the size and number of |
| Barely three months later Jean was told that the | | | | liver lesions. However, at completion of the sixth |
| cancer had spread to her liver. On 4 September | | | | chemo, this initial "success" proved shor-lived. The |
| 2006, she underwent another cycle of | | | | liver tumours had grown in size. |
| chemotherapy. This time the treatment caused | | | | A CT san in May 2007 showed lytic lesion in the |
| severe side effects. Jean decided to forgo the | | | | body of T12 and L2 in keeping with bony metastasis. |
| remaining five cycles of chemotherapy. | | | | The oncologist wrote: "In view of the increasing size |
| Case 2 | | | | of the liver metastases and the increasing bone |
| Li is a forty-one-year-old lady. She was my student | | | | metastasis, features are suggestive of progression |
| some years ago. After graduation from the university | | | | of the disease." The oncologist told Li that he had to |
| she became a science teacher. Sometime in 2004, Li | | | | change to new drugs. Li dared not go for more |
| felt three lumps in her left breast after being taught | | | | chemotherapy and was in a limbo. She came to seek |
| how to self-breast examination (SBE) by a nurse. She | | | | my help. She presented with distended abdomen, |
| went to consult a doctor who then proceeded to do | | | | swelling of her left arm and both legs. |
| a lumpectomy to remove the lumps. The subsequent | | | | Comments |
| histopathological report confirmed malignant tumors. A | | | | The above episodes are real tragic -- again calling in |
| few days later, Li had her entire left breast removed | | | | question the effectiveness of the so-called "proven" |
| at a government hospital. After this mastectomy Li | | | | therapies for breast cancer. Li received all the |
| received eight cycles of chemotherapy and twenty | | | | treatments available but within three years she |
| sessions of radiation treatment. After the completion | | | | ended up worse off that she started with. I would |
| of these treatments, Li took tamoxifen for two | | | | like to pose on question: If Li were to do nothing, |
| years, until January 2007. At the same time as she | | | | would she suffer these metastases to the liver and |
| was started on tamoxifen, Li was also asked to take | | | | bones? Over a decade of helping cancer patients, I |
| Zoladex (goserelin acetate) -- a chemical way of | | | | have this to say: "No, Li might not have suffered |
| destroying her ovaries to stop the production of | | | | such unfortunate fate. I know of many patients from |
| females hormones. She was given Zoladex once a | | | | Indonesia who relied on their "jamu" or traditional |
| month, every month for a period of two years. | | | | herbal medication, and they do generally do not |
| In mid-January 2007, Li started to have stomach | | | | suffer such severe metastasis within three years. |
| discomforts and her abdomen became bloated and | | | | |