From three months to live to being cancer-free
After being given just months to live, Carol Armstrong no longer has terminal cancer thanks to an alternative treatment in Japan that all but eradicated a large tumour.
For almost 20 years, the Wellington woman has lived with bladder cancer – something she was able to manage through regular checkups and intermittent treatment.
‘‘It didn’t limit me at all and [doctors] all said it wouldn’t develop; that it was so low-grade and that it would never get out of the bladder, as far as they knew.’’
Last year, during a routine appointment, Armstrong’s diagnosis changed dramatically when doctors discovered a tumour in her left lung.
A fortnight later, and Armstrong was facing certain death, with doctors unable to operate due to the proximity of the tumour to her heart. Her oncologist gave her three to 12 months to live.
‘‘That was it. We came home quite shattered because it wasn’t something we had ever expected.’’
Fortunately, her husband, Rob Armstrong, and their children were not about to give up the fight.
‘‘My four daughters decided to split up the world on Google and see what else was out there, and that’s when we discovered Japan,’’ she said.
They used an Australian cancer navigation specialist to put them in touch with the best of the best, which in this case was Professor Hiroshi Terunuma from the Biotherapy Institute of Japan.
Within a week of being told of the institute, Armstrong arrived in
Tokyo for her first appointment.
She underwent a combination of immunotherapy cell treatments and proton beam therapy. That involved taking white blood cells, storing them, and then re-injecting them back into her after she had the proton beam treatment – a type of targeted radiation.
Within three treatments, Armstrong’s tumour, which measured 37mm when she left New Zealand, had already shrunk to 28mm.
The lung tumour has since reduced to the point where it is now undetectable, and scans show no signs of cancer anywhere in her body.
While under no illusion that her cancer could return, Armstrong wanted to get the word out about alternative options after being approached by many people in similar situations.
While her New Zealand medical team had been supportive of her decision to seek other treatments, Armstrong and her husband believed more in the medical fraternity should be informing patients of the alternatives.
A deterrent to alternative treatment was often the cost, which Armstrong said was ‘‘significant’’ but not completely prohibitive.
‘‘It was a low six-figure sum all up, and if it wasn’t for the travel, it would have been five figures.’’
While the pair acknowledged they were in a fortunate position, the opportunity for Kiwis to undertake overseas cancer treatment wasn’t out of the realm of possibility.
Chris Watney, Southern Cross Health Society’s chief marketing officer, said health insurance plans with overseas options were available. Cancer was the biggest health concern among its members.
‘‘In the last few years, we’ve seen an increase in people with cancer looking to access new therapies, which can mean making big decisions, like mortgaging their home.’’
To help address that need, the company had introduced a a cancerspecific add-on policy that provided members with a lump-sum payment if they were diagnosed with a qualifying cancer. ‘‘[They] can spend this how they like, including for treatment overseas. The level of cover ranges from $20,000 to $300,000.’’