Palliative care and Chinese medicine in a centenarian with primary hepatocellular carcinoma and 27-month follow-up: A case report.
Hu. Yue Y; Lan. Xiao-Hua XH; Cao. Yan-Jie YJ; Duan. Jing-Qi JQ; Ren. Qi-Tao QT; Jin. Ying Y; Yin. Qiao-Xiang QX; Deng. Rui-Bing RB
Key Findings
- Thymosin‑alpha‑1 was administered intermittently and was well‑tolerated in a centenarian with liver cancer
- The patient survived 27 months after diagnosis while receiving palliative care, Chinese herbal medicine, and nutritional support
- No serious side‑effects or tumor‑related complications were reported during the follow‑up
Practical Outcomes
- The case suggests thymosin‑alpha‑1 can be safely used in very old patients as part of a supportive regimen, but it’s only a single anecdote. Biohackers should not view it as a proven anti‑cancer therapy; if experimenting, use low, intermittent doses under medical supervision and combine with overall health‑focused care.
Summary
A 104‑year‑old man with liver cancer was given occasional thymosin‑alpha‑1 shots along with Chinese herbs and nutrition support, and he lived for at least 27 months without tumor‑related complications, showing good tolerance to the treatment.
Abstract
The number of centenarians with cancer is increasing as the global population ages. The diagnosis and treatment for centenarians with tumor sometimes are specific, and there are currently less appropriate guidelines as references. We report a 104-year-old man with asymptomatic primary liver cancer (PLC) whose family decided to receive conservative and palliative care. The patient has been followed up for 27 months. He has been mainly received Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), nutritional support and thymalfasin injection intermittently, etc. During the 27-month follow-up, the patient has showed good compliance and tolerance without any complications of the tumor. Conclusion: Individualized palliative care and complementary medicine, based on multidisciplinary evaluation, traditional Chinese medicine, consultation with patients and their families about treatment options, etc., may help improve the life quality of centenarians with end-stage tumors.
Study Information
pubmed
2023
2023-07-03T00:00:00.000Z
10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17340
2
17