Prolonged Progression-Free Survival in a Patient With Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Following Korean Herbal Medicine Treatment Alone: A Case Report

Abstract

Korean herbal medicine treatment (KHMT) involves treating with a combination of natural products, which have been used for thousands of years. Recently, it has been reported to be effective and safe in cancer patients. This case report demonstrates the efficacy of KHMT in a 49-year-old man with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a rare and highly aggressive cancer. The patient showed recurrent pleural effusion and was diagnosed with epithelioid MPM at cT3NxM0 stage III in December 2017. The multidisciplinary care team recommended multimodal treatment based on an extrapleural pneumonectomy, but he refused this because the treatment was aggressive and the effectiveness was unclear. He decided to undergo pemetrexed plus cisplatin chemotherapy if his condition worsened. He visited the Korean Medicine Cancer Center for alternative treatment options. A KHMT regimen, consisting of twice-daily Gunchil-dan and thrice-daily Bangam-tang, was initiated in December 2017. Since commencement of KHMT, computed tomography and X-ray imaging scans have shown no significant interval changes and progression. At 21 months into treatment (September 2019), no significant adverse events have occurred. Given that the median overall survival of patients with MPM is approximately 1 year, the ongoing progression-free survival of this patient for 21 months is relatively long. This case, therefore, suggests that KHMT is a potential treatment option for MPM patients.

Keywords: Korean medicine; complementary and alternative medicine; herbal medicine; malignant pleural mesothelioma; rare cancer.

Figure 1.

Computed tomography scans of the patient. (A) Baseline taken in December 2017 showing diffuse thickening of the left pleura with pleural effusion. (B) Taken in September 2018. (C) Taken in January 2019. (D) Taken in June 2019. No significant interval changes are visible.

Figure 2.

Positron emission tomography/computed tomography scan of the patient with increased FDG uptake showing thickening of the left pleura with pleural effusion in December 2017.