Case 9

Recurrent Adenocystic Carcinoma of
the Left Parotid

52 year-old woman – Oriental Medicine Cancer Center, (now IIOI)

She was initially diagnosed with adenocystic carcinoma of the left parotid in 1995, when she was a 37 years-old young woman. She then underwent left total parotidectomy and followed by radiation therapy for positive margins. She then stared to come to my clinic for further treatments, her disease was stable for several years, until I was in training for Radiation Oncologist, she stopped taking my created personalized medicine in 1999.

At the same year, patient complained that tingling and decreased sensation over the area, and began having difficulty opening her mouth as well as her left eye. Re-biopsy, her left parotid gland and found recurrent carcinoma. Giving this disease characteristic of perineural invasion, facial paresis, cancer can extend both centrally and peripherally along with nerve, and adenoid cystic carcinoma frequently metastases systemically and the lung are the most commonly involved site, later she developed all symptoms and signs as text book described.

She then underwent IMRT Radiation therapy 6000 cGy from July 8, 2002 to August 16, 2002. Post radiation therapy, Patient returned to my clinic-Oriental Medicine Cancer Center for further treatment, (After I had Radiation Exposure Injury on May 15, 2002, at Ohio State University Medical Center-James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. In January 2003, I returned to Newton and re-opened my clinic).

I explained to her that disease behavior, stated that “ I try my best to stable the disease, and you just enjoy your normal life as much as you can” From 2003 to early 2010, patient was doing well, periodically had CT to her brain and lung, noticed some metastatic lesions in both organs, but patient was still able to living relative normal life, worked every day until the company closed down, managed house work and raised two young beautiful girls with her husband. In 2010, she developed ear pain with some hearing lost, she decided to have target treatment, and stopped my personalized medicine.

I learned that she suffered a lot of pain and treatment toxicity. Short after, when I was in China for business trip in June 2010, I learned that this patient took her life. I was shocked to learned that news, for such a short time, after she left from my clinic. I often wondered that what if this patient was continued treated by me, would she be able to living longer, the answer is yes, however, I don’t think I would able to cure this disease, but we able to manage to living with disease. In any case, she lived much longer that our text book described, but I still felt that if she was giving the false indication for “cure”, that she might be continued treated by my personalized medicine. In this case, that we also learned that patient’s choice can affect their clinical outcome…