Many ways to be your own doctor
At Phu Tho Provincial General Hospital, patient N.H.L, 70 years old, was diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in 2021. At this time, the patient was only in the early stages and could have had surgery and been cured permanently. Although the doctor advised hospitalization for treatment, the patient refused and asked to go home and use herbal medicine of unknown origin.
After nearly 2 years of self-treatment with herbal medicine, the patient's condition not only did not improve but also worsened. At that time, the patient was hospitalized again and diagnosed with stage 4 hypopharyngeal laryngeal cancer.
In another case, a female patient discovered a tumor in her lip about 3 years ago, the tumor gradually increased in size, however, the patient did not go to the hospital for examination but followed the instructions of some people living a macrobiotic lifestyle to prevent the tumor from growing. However, the tumor did not shrink but grew faster to 20cm, at this time the patient panicked and went to the doctor.
At K Hospital, the doctor examined the patient when there was a large wart lesion covering the entire lip and mouth area, the tumor was bleeding, pus oozed out, and the shape was unsightly. The CT scan results showed a large tumor in the lower lip area, invading the lower jaw, floor of the mouth, tongue, and metastasizing to many lymph nodes on both sides of the neck, measuring 2-3 cm.
Taking the patient's medical history, the doctors learned that the patient had had this tumor for about 3 years, the tumor gradually increased in size, however the patient did not visit a medical facility, but followed the instructions of some people living a macrobiotic diet to prevent the tumor from growing.
Cam Khe District Medical Center (Phu Tho Province) has just admitted a patient with a history of thyroid cancer who was hospitalized due to drinking elephant foot yam to treat the disease.
At the time of admission, the patient had symptoms of pain in the mouth and throat; difficulty swallowing, difficulty speaking, and difficulty breathing. The cause was that the elephant foot yam contained calcium oxalate crystals, which caused irritation, skin burns, and swelling upon contact, especially in the tongue, mouth, and lips.
What happens when cancer is left untreated?
Dr. Ngo Xuan Quy, Head of the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, K Hospital, shared: Having cancer does not mean being sentenced to death. With the rapid development of modern medicine, we have a deeper understanding of cancer and have more treatment methods. Although cancer is still considered a fatal disease, it is no longer an "invincible devil".
Cancer is not a disease that kills overnight. Many cancers do not have obvious symptoms in the early stages, but it is this “silent” stage that gives us the opportunity to defeat it. Through regular health check-ups and screenings, we can detect signs of cancer earlier, thereby allowing timely intervention and treatment.
With the continuous advancement of medical technology, cancer treatment methods are also constantly updated. From traditional surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy to modern targeted therapy, immunotherapy, cell therapy... the application of these new technologies and drugs has significantly improved the effectiveness of cancer treatment and brought patients more hope of survival.
Doctors also advise patients not to trust word of mouth or they will lose money and get sick.
