The doctor of a 52-year-old oral cavity cancer patient was furious when he discovered that his patient had been secretly pouring gaoliang, a fiery sorghum liquor, down his nasal feed tube just days after undergoing surgery to remove the cancer.
The man, surnamed Yeh (
The Chinese-language United Daily News reported that Yeh said that he had been a smoker, drinker and betel nut chewer ever since he completed his military service.
In recent years, he said he had been addicted to alcohol to the degree where he felt withdrawal symptoms if he didn't drink alcohol every day.
His doctor, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Hospital's Chien Chih-yen (
Department of Health figures indicated that oral cavity cancer was the fourth most common cancer in men and was strongly linked to drinking, smoking and betal nut chewing.
In recent years, the number of oral cavity cancer cases has increased along with betel nut use.
In 1979 alone, 282 cases of oral cavity cancer were reported in Taiwan.
By 1994 the number of cases of cavity cancer had grown to 1,545.
In 2002, the number of cases reached 3,709.
"The use of alcohol on its own is not necessarily carcinogenic, but when it is combined with cigarette or betel nut use, it strongly increases the likelihood of oral cavity cancer," said Chang Shyue-Yih (張學逸), the director of the ear, nose and throat department at Taipei Veterans' General Hospital.
"The stronger the alcohol content, the stronger the carcinogenic effect," he said.
However, according to Chang, it is possible that Yeh has found a way to indulge his addiction without exacerbating his cancer despite the anger of Yeh's doctor.
"If he took the liquor through his nasal tube, it means that there is no contact with the tissue of his oral cavity," Chang said. "Of course, he would still suffer from the deleterious effect of alcohol in his liver."
Old habits die hard, even when patients are warned that it could mean the difference between life and death.
"A serious alcohol addiction is as hard to break as an addiction to drugs," Chang said. "But for most patients, smoking is by far the most difficult habit to break."
"Even for those of who are told it could make the difference between life and death, only about half of my patients manage to quit smoking," Chang said.
Three batches of banana sauce imported from the Philippines were intercepted at the border after they were found to contain the banned industrial dye Orange G, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said yesterday. From today through Sept. 2 next year, all seasoning sauces from the Philippines are to be subject to the FDA’s strictest border inspection, meaning 100 percent testing for illegal dyes before entry is allowed, it said in a statement. Orange G is an industrial coloring agent that is not permitted for food use in Taiwan or internationally, said Cheng Wei-chih (鄭維智), head of the FDA’s Northern Center for
The Chinese military has built landing bridge ships designed to expand its amphibious options for a potential assault on Taiwan, but their combat effectiveness is limited due to their high vulnerability, a defense expert said in an analysis published on Monday. Shen Ming-shih (沈明室), a research fellow at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research, said that the deployment of such vessels as part of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy’s East Sea Fleet signals a strong focus on Taiwan. However, the ships are highly vulnerable to precision strikes, which means they could be destroyed before they achieve their intended
LOOKING NORTH: The base would enhance the military’s awareness of activities in the Bashi Channel, which China Coast Guard ships have been frequenting, an expert said The Philippine Navy on Thursday last week inaugurated a forward operating base in the country’s northern most province of Batanes, which at 185km from Taiwan would be strategically important in a military conflict in the Taiwan Strait. The Philippine Daily Inquirer quoted Northern Luzon Command Commander Lieutenant General Fernyl Buca as saying that the base in Mahatao would bolster the country’s northern defenses and response capabilities. The base is also a response to the “irregular presence this month of armed” of China Coast Guard vessels frequenting the Bashi Channel in the Luzon Strait just south of Taiwan, the paper reported, citing a
UNDER PRESSURE: The report cited numerous events that have happened this year to show increased coercion from China, such as military drills and legal threats The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) aims to reinforce its “one China” principle and the idea that Taiwan belongs to the People’s Republic of China by hosting celebratory events this year for the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, the “retrocession” of Taiwan and the establishment of the UN, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) said in its latest report to the Legislative Yuan. Taking advantage of the significant anniversaries, Chinese officials are attempting to assert China’s sovereignty over Taiwan through interviews with international news media and cross-strait exchange events, the report said. Beijing intends to reinforce its “one China” principle
RSS