Acupuncture Treatment for a Patient with Stage IV Metastatic Cancer, A Case Report

Abstract

In this single case report, the patient was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2013 and received surgery and chemotherapy as treatment. In 2015 the patient was then diagnosed with liver cancer and underwent a 75% liver resection. Based on the results of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels, it was determined that he was cancer-free for a period of six months post surgery. In January 2016, he was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer in his liver and right lung. The patient sought acupuncture for a period of 14 months. His choice to use complementary medicine was, in part, due to quality-of-life concerns. The patient had been told that biomedicine did not have any viable options to offer him in terms of cure, and thus determined that his focus needed to be on quality of life and encouraging his body to heal. With acupuncture, he remained symptom-free from October 2015 until August 2016. 

The patient was diagnosed as a metal CF (constitutional factor) in the Worsley Five Element system. The treatment focused on supporting the CF and using the sheng (creation) and ke (control) cycles to rebalance his qi. The patient additionally received several treatments to calm the shen (spirit of the Fire element, Heart) and support him on the body level. This case suggests that Five Element acupuncture can support the well-being of a patient diagnosed with cancer.