Korean medicine therapy as a substitute for chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer: A case report

Abstract

A 46-year-old Korean woman was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer and underwent 8 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy, breast conservation surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy. However, the cancer recurred in the right upper lung (RUL) and the right pulmonary hilum after 8 months. The RUL nodule was removed through a wedge resection, and the pathologic finding was revealed as a metastatic adenocarcinoma. Adjuvant chemotherapy was recommended, but she refused it because she feared adverse reactions to chemotherapy. Instead, Korean Medicine Therapy with intravenous wild ginseng pharmacopuncture (WGP), Cordyceps sinensis pharmacopuncture, Trichosanthes kirilowii pharmacopuncture, Euonymus alatus pharmacopuncture (EAP) and Astragalus membranaceus pharmacopuncture was started. After a month, the disease looked stable, but findings of newly occurring metastatic lymphadenopathies appeared on CT after 6 months. Salvage chemotherapy was recommended, but she also refused it. At this time, Prunella vulgaris pharmacopuncture was started. Finally, a complete resolution was confirmed on PET-CT after 5 months, and she has remained in stable condition for more than 6 months with WGP, EAP, a Soram nebulizer solution inhalation and the oral intake of Soramdan S and Hangamdan S.