Doctors at the Taipei Medical University Hospital (TMUH) were cautiously optimistic about the cryotherapy technology the university imported last year to treat patients suffering from inoperable liver cancer.
TMUH is the only hospital in Taiwan using an argon-helium "knife," Huang Ming-de (黃銘德) said during a press conference at the hospital.
Since importing the machine in March last year, almost thirty patients have undergone the less-invasive treatment. Either in conjunction with traditional surgery or through "keyhole surgery" performed with a laparoscope, the argon-helium knife works by freezing the tumor with a blast of liquid argon-helium gas.
"We can destroy an area of up to 8cm in diameter, cooling the tumor to as much as minus 260oC," Huang said. "Once the knife is withdrawn, the tumor shatters upon exposure to body heat."
"It is not for everyone and it is not a miracle cure," he said. "But it is another item in our arsenal against liver cancer," adding that surgical excision is still the preferred treatment.
Seventy percent to 80 percent of lung cancer patients are ineligible for surgery, however, because of tumors that are too big or the presence of too many cancerous sites.
"Studies abroad seem to indicate that in suitable patients, cryoknife surgery might extend life by one year to 33 months," he said.
A point in favor of the therapy is that its intrusiveness is minimal, Huang said.
A 67-year-old woman whose breast cancer metastasized to her liver was able to leave the hospital the same day she received argon-helium knife therapy, he said.
"The woman refused an operation to remove the tumor on her liver because she had gone through so many surgeries and chemotherapy treatments already," Huang said. "But we were able to convince her to [try] cryotherapy."
The woman underwent the procedure three months ago, Huang said.
The treatment is not covered by the National Health Insurance and the woman had to pay NT$70,000 for the treatment, including anes-thesiology costs.
"It is too early to tell if the tumor will return," Huang said.
"But the patient's quality of life has increased and she was able to diminish use of chemotherapy medication and even go on a holiday to China," he said.
SHIPS, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES: The ministry has announced changes to varied transportation industries taking effect soon, with a number of effects for passengers Beginning next month, the post office is canceling signature upon delivery and written inquiry services for international registered small packets in accordance with the new policy of the Universal Postal Union, the Ministry of Transportation and Communications said yesterday. The new policy does not apply to packets that are to be delivered to China, the ministry said. Senders of international registered small packets would receive a NT$10 rebate on postage if the packets are sent from Jan. 1 to March 31, it added. The ministry said that three other policies are also scheduled to take effect next month. International cruise ship operators
HORROR STORIES: One victim recounted not realizing they had been stabbed and seeing people bleeding, while another recalled breaking down in tears after fleeing A man on Friday died after he tried to fight the knife-wielding suspect who went on a stabbing spree near two of Taipei’s busiest metro stations, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) said. The 57-year-old man, identified by his family name, Yu (余), encountered the suspect at Exit M7 of Taipei Main Station and immediately tried to stop him, but was fatally wounded and later died, Chiang said, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” Yu’s family would receive at least NT$5 million (US$158,584) in compensation through the Taipei Rapid Transit Corp’s (TRTC) insurance coverage, he said after convening an emergency security response meeting yesterday morning. National
PLANNED: The suspect visited the crime scene before the killings, seeking information on how to access the roof, and had extensively researched a 2014 stabbing incident The suspect in a stabbing attack that killed three people and injured 11 in Taipei on Friday had planned the assault and set fires at other locations earlier in the day, law enforcement officials said yesterday. National Police Agency (NPA) Director-General Chang Jung-hsin (張榮興) said the suspect, a 27-year-old man named Chang Wen (張文), began the attacks at 3:40pm, first setting off smoke bombs on a road, damaging cars and motorbikes. Earlier, Chang Wen set fire to a rental room where he was staying on Gongyuan Road in Zhongzheng District (中正), Chang Jung-hsin said. The suspect later threw smoke grenades near two exits
The Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency yesterday launched a gift box to market honey “certified by a Formosan black bear” in appreciation of a beekeeper’s amicable interaction with a honey-thieving bear. Beekeeper Chih Ming-chen (池明鎮) in January inspected his bee farm in Hualien County’s Jhuosi Township (卓溪) and found that more than 20 beehives had been destroyed and many hives were eaten, with bear droppings and paw prints near the destroyed hives, the agency said. Chih returned to the farm to move the remaining beehives away that evening when he encountered a Formosan black bear only 20m away, the agency said. The bear
RSS