Cancer is no stranger to celebrities in the entertainment industry. Liver cancer alone claimed the lives of actor Fu Biao, "Sister Feifei" Shen Dianxia, and "Little Red Flower" music producer Zhao Yingjun.For these celebrities, treatment costs were likely not an issue. The true culprits that ultimately claimed their lives were the relentless succession of treatments—surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted drugs, immunotherapy, liver transplants—all of which failed to prevent their demise.In today's healthcare landscape, overtreatment is rampant in cancer care, often leaving patients financially drained and medically depleted.
A recent post by Dr. Zhang Yu, an oncologist at Peking University Third Hospital, on Zhihu—revealing that many patients suffer both financial and health losses due to doctors' reckless practices—sparked nationwide controversy, serving as a stark example.
So, should advanced cancer patients pursue treatment? And how should it be approached? Dr. Zhang Zhonghai, a renowned cancer specialist and TCM oncologist practicing at Zhonghai Traditional Chinese Medicine Oncology Hospital in Jiaozuo, Henan, after retirement, advises: Three key factors must be carefully considered to avoid being trapped by "over-treatment."
1. Assess the patient's physical condition
Elderly cancer patients who are advanced in age, frail, and suffering from multiple comorbidities often cannot tolerate the side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy. In such cases, treatment should prioritize alleviating suffering, improving quality of life, and extending survival time. Options include minimally invasive interventional therapy and traditional Chinese medicine.
Wang, a 63-year-old man with diabetes, hypertension, cerebral infarction, and a history of coronary artery bypass grafting, was diagnosed with a hepatic neuroendocrine tumor in March 2019 following complaints of hepatic pain. Surgery was no longer the optimal choice for him.Following the recommendation of Director Zhang Zhonghai, a TCM oncology specialist at Zhonghai Traditional Chinese Medicine Oncology Hospital in Jiaozuo, Henan, Wang opted for conservative TCM treatment. This approach focused on internally regulating his body's immunity and enhancing resistance to inhibit tumor cell growth. Medication was used to alleviate symptoms such as pain, loss of appetite, and abdominal distension, yielding favorable results. II. Evaluating Cancer Treatment Plans For liver cancer patients, the disease often reaches an advanced stage with high malignancy and rapid progression.For severely ill late-stage patients, undergoing traumatic and toxic anticancer treatments at the expense of normal bodily functions—where treatment intensity exceeds both the tumor's scope and the patient's tolerance—can further damage organ function and worsen the condition.with bilateral lung metastases, right pleural thickening, cirrhosis, minimal ascites, and a right hepatic lobe mass. Driven by extreme fear and desperation to escape their predicament, the patient and family exhausted all avenues for treatment. During a brief local hospitalization spanning several months, he underwent two interventional procedures and multiple radiotherapy sessions. The outcome was not only a failure to shrink the tumor but also Mr. Li's progressive physical wasting.
Later, following Director Zhang Zhonghai's recommendation, treatment shifted to a primary approach of Traditional Chinese Medicine combined with psychological counseling. After two months, the tumor significantly reduced in size, and all indicators trended toward normalcy.
III. Considering the Patient's Financial Capacity
Cancer treatment is a protracted battle, demanding not only extended time but also substantial financial investment. The later the cancer stage, the greater the treatment difficulty and cost, necessitating correspondingly higher expenses. For advanced-stage cancer patients unable to sustain costly treatments, Director Zhang Zhonghai typically recommends conservative TCM approaches to maximize life extension and preserve quality of life.
In summary, cancer requires rational, standardized, and scientific comprehensive treatment. Existing therapeutic approaches should be applied systematically and appropriately based on the patient's physical condition and family circumstances, aiming to significantly improve cure rates and enhance survival quality. The harm caused by excessive treatment, where "too much is as bad as too little," can in some ways exceed the harm of the cancer itself.