Two Ovarian Cancer Patients Treated with Chinese Medicine to Lower CA125
CA125 is an important tumor marker for ovarian cancer patients. After ovarian cancer patients have developed metastatic lesions, the five-year survival rate is very low. The two ovarian cancer patients with metastases introduced in this article have both survived for over five years, and during TCM treatment both achieved the effect of a decline in CA125. One was treated long-term with Chinese medicine after surgery without Western chemotherapy; the other used Chinese medicine intermittently—taking Chinese medicine for a period, then chemotherapy for a period, and returning to Chinese medicine when chemotherapy failed.
Case 1: Shi, female, born in 1968, from Songzi, Jingzhou, Hubei Province, with a family history of tumors; her younger sister had breast cancer. The patient was diagnosed with stage 3C ovarian cancer at Songzi People's Hospital in June 2017, with a pathological result of low-grade serous adenocarcinoma. On July 6 she underwent palliative surgery at Jingzhou People's Hospital to resect part of the lesion, and in November underwent a second palliative surgery. She relapsed soon after the second surgery and first sought my treatment on August 28, 2018. At the visit, multiple abnormal nodules and masses were present in the pelvis, considered metastatic tumors; CA125, CA724, and human epididymis protein 4 were all elevated.
The patient reported that before discovering the tumor she sweated easily, often breaking out in heavy sweats, had poor appetite, and experienced indigestion and stomach distention after meals. This improved after surgery; the patient can now herself feel a mass in the lower abdomen. Her mouth is dry but not bitter. She is not afraid of cold or wind and feels no discomfort from air conditioning. Her stools are formed and urination is normal. Her appetite is very good, with no nausea, acid regurgitation, or vomiting. Before surgery she often felt dizzy and dazed, but she no longer does. Her legs are not weak and her lower back does not hurt. Aside from gaining weight, she has had no other reactions. Her sleep is poor; she gets angry easily, her mouth is easily dry, and she wants to drink even in the middle of the night. She previously had excessive vaginal discharge, which disappeared after surgery. Because of her obesity, she sometimes needs to take deep breaths to feel comfortable. The patient cannot tolerate Western treatment and is unwilling to undergo any further Western treatment, requesting pure TCM treatment.
Initial prescription: raw Astragalus (Sheng Huangqi) 30g, Pseudostellaria (Taizishen) 30g, Ophiopogon (Maidong) 15g, Schisandra (Wuweizi) 10g, Eclipta (Mohanlian) 30g, Ligustrum (Nüzhenzi) 30g, Angelica (Danggui) 10g, Astragali Complanati Seed (Shayuanzi) 15g, Cuscuta (Tusizi) 15g, Scrophularia (Xuanshen) 12g, Fritillaria (Zhebeimu) 12g, raw Oyster Shell (Sheng Muli) 30g, Sargassum (Haizao) 30g, Ecklonia (Kunbu) 30g, Actinidia Root (Tengligen) 30g, Pyrrosia (Shiwei) 30g, Sparganium (Sanleng) 10g, Curcuma Ezhu (Ezhu) 10g, Oldenlandia (Sheshecao) 30g, Scutellaria Barbata (Banzhilian) 30g, Agrimonia (Xianhecao) 50g, each of the three Jiao Shenqu (Jiao Sanxian) 10g, Eupolyphaga (Dibiechong) 20g, Salvia (Danshen) 30g, Atractylodes (Cangzhu) 15g, Achyranthes (Huainiuxi) 10g, Coix Seed (Yiyiren) 60g, Prunella (Xiakucao) 10g.
One dose a day, decocted twice, taken in 3 divided doses. The first three doses are each divided into six servings over two days. Take half an hour to an hour after meals.
Chinese patent medicines: Liuwei Dihuang Wan (twice a day, dosage per package instructions); Xiaoyao Wan (per instructions); Compound Mylabris Capsules (Fufang Banmao Jiaonang, Guizhou Yibai), twice a day, 2–3 capsules each time.
Also prepared into pills and powder for oral use from Toad Venom (Chansu), Moschus (Shexiang), Centipede (Wugong), Scorpion (Quanxie), and Gecko (Bihu). Take medicine for 5 days then rest 2 days; stop during colds and fever. Dietary restrictions: seafood, pickled vegetables, barbecue, spicy and greasy foods, rooster, carp, citrus, sweet potato, etc.
After taking the medicine for a while, the patient tolerated the decoction poorly, and the side effects of Compound Mylabris Capsules were also too severe for her to tolerate; she requested a pill prescription. So, following the approach mentioned in my article "My Practical Experience Using Large Compound TCM Multi-Target Broad-Spectrum Anti-Cancer Formulas", I adopted the large-prescription approach, using over 80 herbs (for specific herbs see that article), made into pills for the patient to take. After taking them, the patient's CA125 sometimes rose slightly (each three-month rise was basically in the single digits) and sometimes fell slightly (the fall was also small). The pill prescription used over these years was slightly adjusted each month, and the condition remained stable for four years.
On May 6, 2022, the patient was re-examined at Songzi People's Hospital (report no. 4634988); CA125 suddenly soared to 621.8, CA724 to 43.52, and human epididymis protein 4 to 183.33—a rise unseen in these past years.
Seeing this trend and worried that Chinese medicine could not control it, I suggested that the patient's daughter persuade her to undergo chemotherapy. Her family then did ideological work to persuade her, but unexpectedly the patient would rather die than comply and even had suicidal thoughts. I had no choice but to think of another way; this time I raised the large compound to over 120 herbs, each in a trace amount. The patient took the medicine for a month before re-examination.
On June 16, 2022, after taking the medicine for about 40 days, the patient returned to Songzi People's Hospital for re-examination (report no. 5421471). This time CA125 fell to 450.8, human epididymis protein 4 fell to 168.3, and only CA724 rose slightly to 47.17. Her physical condition was basically that of a normal person, with no hindrance to daily activities and entertainment.
TCM control worked again, and both the patient's family and I felt quite relieved. We continued taking the adjusted prescription and still re-examined regularly to monitor disease progression. From June 2017 to June 2022, after being diagnosed with stage 3C ovarian cancer, this patient has survived for five years. She underwent two palliative surgeries and relapsed soon after each; later she gave up Western treatment and has maintained herself entirely on the TCM regimen I gave her. Her quality of life during treatment was very good, and it remains good to this day. Although tumor markers such as CA125 sometimes rise, they fall after the medication regimen is adjusted. The patient's mindset is fairly good; she lives in the countryside of Jingzhou, playing cards and entertaining with fellow villagers daily, in a cheerful mood. Because the patient herself rejects Western treatment, she currently remains on pure TCM maintenance therapy.
Case 2: Zhang, female, born in 1957, from Dalian, Liaoning. On July 3, 2017 she underwent exploratory laparotomy for ovarian cancer staging (total hysterectomy with bilateral adnexectomy + omentectomy + pelvic lymph node dissection) at a local hospital. Pathology showed: bilateral fallopian tube and ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma, extending to parametrial tissue, staged 2A. Postoperatively she received the chemotherapy regimen paclitaxel + carboplatin and completed the standard chemotherapy course.
On June 16, 2018, recommended by a relative who was treated by me for ovarian cancer, the patient first consulted me to prevent recurrence. CA125 was not above normal; her hair had turned white since chemotherapy. She had a prior history of uterine fibroids for over ten years, reached menopause at 50, and developed hypertension during menopause.
The left pulse was fine and wiry on light pressure and soft and weak on deep pressure; the right pulse was fine, wiry, and slippery, with a deep, faint chi pulse. She had lower back pain when young but no longer had it after lumbar disc herniation surgery in 1992. Before menopause, she had abundant milky white vaginal discharge during her periods. Since menopause she has sweated frequently, with cold hands and feet, fearing cold in winter and heat in summer. Her tongue is pale with cracks. She drinks four or five cups a day (about 1500–2000 ml), urinates frequently, and gets up at least three times each night. Urination is unobstructed. She currently has degenerative knee disease and is taking medicine for it from a doctor; her stools became unformed after taking this medicine (they were formed before).
Based on the patient's condition, I recommended she take: Jinkui Shenqi Wan (to improve knee symptoms); Erzhi Wan (to improve white hair); Simiao Wan (to improve knee symptoms); Yupingfeng Granules (to improve sweating); Xihuang Wan (anti-tumor, to prevent recurrence); and Viartril-S (to improve knee symptoms).
After taking the medicine, CA125 declined within the normal range. She then took medicine intermittently according to the above regimen. Later it gradually simplified to intermittently taking Xihuang Wan alone to prevent ovarian cancer recurrence, with acceptable maintenance. But after 2.5 years of medication, CA125 and human epididymis protein rose above normal; PET/CT re-examination at Peking Union Medical College Hospital on July 10, 2020 showed recurrence. She then underwent surgery again at Peking Union Medical College Hospital on July 28, 2020 (ID: 43704577, medical record no. 2439636), followed by postoperative chemotherapy.
After this she continued Western treatment until spring 2022, but from March 2022 chemotherapy could no longer control the rise in CA125. On February 21, 2022 CA125 was 42.1; on March 21, 2022 it rose to 48; on April 21, 2022 it rose to 55; in May 2022 CA125 rose to 110. The upward trend was clear, and the patient's family again wanted Chinese medicine to control it.
Considering that the patient's CA125 had once fallen on Xihuang Wan and that it had stabilized her condition for over two years, I believed Xihuang Wan was effective for this patient and that she had merely developed resistance after long use. So I recommended combining Xihuang Wan with the approach mentioned in my article "My Clinical Practical Experience Using Large Compound TCM Multi-Target Broad-Spectrum Anti-Cancer Formulas", combining the Xihuang Wan remaining at the patient's home with my medication. After this, the patient's CA125 fell to 69. She currently continues TCM treatment and observation of subsequent efficacy.
It is hard to evaluate efficacy in TCM cancer treatment through the four TCM diagnoses. Western tumor marker tests can dynamically monitor a patient's cancer progression and also provide an objective and reliable efficacy evaluation standard for TCM cancer treatment. Both of the above patients had metastatic ovarian cancer, and while taking Chinese medicine both achieved the effect of a decline in tumor markers such as CA125, showing that TCM anti-cancer effects can be verified by modern medical detection methods. But one should also see that TCM treatment of ovarian cancer also has drug resistance, the patient's condition will recur, and it is hard to control cancer cell progression with one fixed regimen.