Experience with battling breast cancer at 74
and dealing with brain lumps.
“The doctor checked everything and found nothing
except a little spot the size of a match head in her brain.
The doctor said it could become bigger if it’s malignant.
And one day, she just fell on her head.”
Breast cancer is treatable if detected early.
In a chemotherapy room at MedPark Hospital, we chatted with Ms. Kaneungnich Garigarn, 74, and her younger brother, Mr. Anuchit, who looked after her and took her to the doctors, conscious or not.
In 2021, Ms. Kaneungnich accidentally found a small lump oozing fluid on her left breast. After the breast cancer diagnosis, she quickly decided to undergo surgery. After the surgery, the doctor found residual cancer near the lymph nodes and referred her to another hospital staffed by cancer specialists, where she had chemotherapy.
Shortly afterward, Mr. Anuchit noticed Ms. Kaneungnich often had an unsteady gait and sometimes fell to the ground, bumping her head. Her blood pressure also shot up, causing much bleeding from the head wounds.
“She once passed out needing a blood transfusion in a hospital. Her admission was for just one night, but the cause was unknown. Then, she fell again. This time, she dislocated her elbows and fractured her hip. From being able to stand up and walk, she became incapacitated.”
After an evaluation, the doctor informed them that a cardiac catheterization was required because her blood test indicated a narrowing of heart blood vessels. Mr. Anuchit did not decide on the cardiac cath then because he needed more information. He called to consult with a doctor at Mahachai Hospital, who advised Ms. Kaneungnich to receive care at the hospital instead. The evaluation suggested that the chemotherapy had thickened the blood. The doctor advised two treatment options: subcutaneous injection at the abdomen done by herself or taking oral medications. She chose the latter. However, fainting persisted.
“The doctor checked everything and found nothing except a little spot the size of a match head in her brain. The doctor said it could become bigger if it’s malignant. But it was not symptomatic then, so she took oral medications for a while. And one day, she just fell on her head. We were shocked and took her to the hospital. The doctor recommended that we consult with Dr. Sudpreeda at MedPark Hospital.”
The tumor had grown faster than expected.
Dr. Sudpreeda Chainitikun, accompanied by a team of doctors, examined the scan result from Mahachai Hospital and requested another scan showing that the tumor had rapidly grown. She received radiation therapy. After day one, from being immobile, Ms. Kaneungnich could walk again. Her recovery was fast and gratifying. However, she returned to the hospital soon after in critical condition.
“It was like her body just shut down because it could not eliminate the drugs thoroughly; some remained. When given new doses, the drug accumulated. It led to an overdose. But the doctor came to her rescue just in time.”
After one and a half years of follow-up visits and detecting no more cancer cells, the doctor extended her brain scan appointments from every 3 to 6 months. However, entering the fifth month, Mr. Anuchit noticed an abnormal gait and described it to the doctor in detail; more tumors were found in her brain.
“She started to lose balance. She had an issue with controlling one side of her body with difficulty rolling over or standing up. At first, I thought it was muscle weakness because her legs gave out while walking, and she could not lift them. Dr. Sudpreeda then checked her muscles and found nothing wrong. So, he ordered another scan. This time, tumors were present on both sides of the temples.”
Mr. Anuchit related his older sister’s situation with a tender but firm voice. He wanted to tell family members of cancer patients that it is crucial to be attentive, monitor the symptoms, and record every detail. These can help speed up symptom assessment and diagnosis.
From day one at MedPark Hospital until today, Ms. Kaneungnich has been given good care and emotional support from her younger brother. She would like to impart encouraging words to every breast cancer patient,
“There is nothing to fear. Breast cancer is curable, as I am now. But chemotherapy is still required for the tumors in my brain. Don’t be panicky if you have cancer. If I am curable, everyone could too.” Ms. Kaneungnich chimed in.
Unsteady gaits could be a sign of a brain tumor.
There are two groups of brain tumors: benign and malignant or cancerous. Malignant tumors are of two types, those starting in the brain and those spreading from other body parts such as the breast, colon, or lung cancers.
Brain tumors result from the mutation of brain cells. Despite no existing preventive measure, the symptoms are discernable even in small tumors. The symptoms are unsteady gait, hemiparesis, numbness on one side of the body, balance problems, seizures, chronic headache, nausea, and diplopia (double vision). If these symptoms persist for over a week, see a doctor for a diagnosis and treatment.
Treatment of brain tumors
The central brain tumor or brain cancer treatment is with surgery. However, if tumors happen to be in the pivotal parts of the brain, then surgery is out of the question. For people with multiple tumors, complete removal by surgery may be out of reach. If that is the case, a doctor will recommend alternatives, such as radiation or chemotherapy, based on the type, size, location of the tumors, and age and health condition of the patients.
Dr. Sudpreeda Chainitikun, a cancer specialist in solid cancer diagnosis and treatment planning, elaborated further on Ms. Kaneungnich condition.
“She is the first cancer patient of MedPark Hospital. She came to us initially with concerning syncope symptoms. Based on her medical history of previous breast cancer treatment and frequent ataxia, the brain is likely the seed of her symptoms. Repeat brain scan result was shocking; the tumor was much bigger than the previous scan, enlarging rapidly in a short period.”
In Ms. Kaneungnich case, the doctor chose radiation and chemotherapy for treatment. Moreover, the physical therapists help improve her arm and leg muscle strength, and periodic follow-up evaluations to check for tumor recurrence.
“Usually, if cancer has spread to the brain and the patient decides not to undergo treatment, life expectancy would likely be low. But if the patient decides to receive treatment and has regular follow-up care, there is nothing to worry about. Ms. Kaneungnich, for example, has survived for three years now. The treatment result has far exceeded our expectations because she did not pass up the chance to undergo treatment in the first place.”
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