Introduction
Skin cancer may be associated with excessive sun exposure, long term stimulation of radioactive rays, arsenical and tar derivatives. Basal and squamous cell skin cancers are common types of skin cancer. Skin cancers have low malignancy, little recurrence and high cure rates.
Basal and squamous cell skin cancer may appear as rough, reddish patches at first; or they appear as small lumps or easy-bleeding, slow-healing ulcer or ulcer that unable to heal. Skin cancers may be very tiny and needle-like size. If they are not treated, the cancer cells will spread to surrounding tissue.
Treatments
1.Surgery
Skin cancer is a slow-growing cancer. If skin cancer is detected early, it can be cured through the combination of surgical removal and non-toxic integrative treatment. The excision range should be extended as much as possible in case of residual margin.
2. Chelation Detoxification Therapy
Chelation detoxification therapy can be given from the time of any surgical procedure or chemotherapy to patients with physical weakness and low immunity.. It promotes physical recovery and regulates the immune system, and it can kill residual tumor cells or inhibit early metastasis.
3.Medical Ozone Therapy
Medical ozone systemically regulates the tumor cause, and attacks the tumor through topical application. Topical treatment options include a medical ozone package, medical ozone olive oil coating and ozone gas injection around the tumor, which can directly stimulate tumor necrosis and inhibit tumor surface bleeding and infection.
4. Traditional Chinese Medicine
4.1 Internal treatment
Etiology and pathogenesis of skin cancer are mostly liver qi depression, liver fire and blood dryness, and the combination of wind and toxicity. The treatment should focus on soothing liver - qi stagnation, nourishing liver and blood, and reinforcing primordial qi; the prescriptions recommended are Gardenia Liver Decoction, Xiaoyao Powder, Buzhong Yiqi Decoction, and Shixuan Powder.
4.2 External treatment
Externally apply Veratrum Ointment, stick with old toad after laparotomy, externally rub with mashed portulaca or its burnt ash and lard oil, triturate eritrichium pedumculare and extract juice for scrubbing, or crush fresh burdock roots and Chinese violet for external application. All of these have a certain effect. External rubbing of plaster-containing arsenicals and intramuscular injection of cinobufotalin have also shown good effects.
5. Acupuncture
Common syndromes of skin cancer are qi stagnation, blood stasis, and phlegm coagulation. The therapeutic principle should focus on promoting blood circulation, removing blood stasis, clearing heat, and eliminating phlegm.
6. Hyperthermia and Radiotherapy
Hyperthermia may be implemented after radiotherapy for some skin cancers sensitive to radiotherapy. Combined application of hyperthermia with radiotherapy may increase the sensitivity of tumor cells to radiotherapy, thereby reduce the radiation dosage required to kill the tumor, and reduce skin and hematological toxicity induced by radiotherapy.
For combined therapy, radiotherapy should be applied first, followed by hyperthermia as appropriate.
7.Physical Therapy
With the development of modern technology, some local physical therapies can be chose to kill cancer cells directly. These therapies include cryotherapy, laser therapies, photodynamic therapy etc. However, these treatments only treat the manifestation of diseases. As a result, non-toxic integrative treatment should be applied to prevent relapse and metastasis.
8.Local Chemotherapy
Some types of skin cancer are sensitive to chemotherapy so local chemotherapy is optional. Local chemotherapy can inhibit the tumor growth and cause tumor necrosis.
9.Medicated Diet, Nutrition, and so on
Skin cancer often does not affect people’s nutritional status. Supply sufficient amounts of vitamins with herbal diet. If patient is going to undergo surgery and radio-chemotherapy, enhance nutritional support is required so as to improve the tolerance of the body. This should be supplemented with qigong, sports, as well as psychology to improve self-healing capabilities and lifestyle, and treat the root cause.
Typical Case
45 year old male patient, first developed itchiness on the skin of his scrotum in July, 2007. A persistent open ulcer ensued from scratching. The resected skin biopsy in a Hong Kong hospital of Hong Kong was done. Pathology report confirmed “Skin Exocrine Cancer, Ki-67 (+)”. Abdominal MRI further detected several lymph nodes migrating in the abdominal cavity. Taxol, cis-platinum, methotrexate and gemcitabine chemotherapies were given (specific program was unknown), as well as tamoxifen treatment.
In October 2007, the abdominal cavity was reviewed with another abdominal MRI, showing several lymphadenoceles in bilateral groin, retroperitoneum, abdominal cavity, accompanied with paroxysmal abdominal pain, shortness of breath, malaise, profuse sweating, and mild edema of right lower extremity. As a result, he was admitted for further treatment.
Diagnosis: Scrotum skin exocrine cancer and postoperative chemotherapy, Phase III (lymph node metastasis in groins, retroperitoneum and abdominal cavity).
Integrative treatment prescription: Patient suffered a rare case of scrotum skin exocrine cancer. He had undergone surgery, and whole body chemotherapy in Hong Kong with poor result from endocrine therapy. Additionally, the several courses of chemotherapy left patient in a poor state of health. Integrative treatment was prescribed by the team of medical specialists to rebuild his overall stamina.
Treatment outcome: After 50 days of hospitalization to undergo treatment, patient’s symptoms of abdominal pain, fatigue and profuse sweating disappeared. Three lymph nodes of about 1.2cm×1.3cm×2cm could be felt at the bilateral groins on examination, with middle hardness, mobility and no tenderness. Karnofsky performance score was 90. The CT abdomen showed that lymph nodes at the groin, retroperitoneum and abdominal cavity were significantly reduced. Subsequently, patient adhered to the comprehensive treatment which included chelation detoxification, hyperthermia and medical ozone therapy as an outpatient. This involved 5-day treatment every 15 days. Patient returned to a normal life without any abnormal symptom. He continues to be employed in Hong Kong.
