Time for more fun with herbs!
Here are two cases which were managed, I consider successfully, with herbs alone and acupuncture. Of course, with cancer, success is relative. But as a point of reference, chemo response rates for bulky thyroid cancer are 30-50%. For invasive thyroid carcinoma, which both these patients had, median survival time is 6-12 month with surgery. Radiation therapy results in median survival times of 2 years without lung mets and is the conventional treatment I would recommend for non-resectable disease but $6000 for radiation is a big price tag or a lot of people.
An eleven-year old female spayed Siberian Husky presented for treatment of bilateral thyroid tumors measuring 4.5x5cm and 4.5x4cm. Conventional therapy had been declined and staging was also declined. The patient was treated with acupuncture every 3 weeks. Xiao Chai Hu Tang and Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang modified with E Zhu and San Leng resulted in initial tumor shrinkage to 2.8x3.3cm and 2x2cm over the first 3 months. Tumor progression then occurred (3.3x5cm and 4.5x6.5cm) and Si Wu Tang was added to her treatments (she also had signs of blood deficiency at that time). The tumors shrank to 2.5x5cm and 1.5x2.5cm over the subsequent 3 weeks. 10 months after diagnosis, increased respiratory effort was noted. Thoracic rads showed severe diffuse lung mets throughout all lung fields. I don't know when mets might have developed, or if she had them to start with, because thoracic rads were always declined. She lived 11 months. Quality of life was good until the last month.
12 year old Male neutered Golden retriever. Bilateral thyroid carcinoma firmly fixed to underlying structures. Masses about 6cm x 10cm bilaterally. Asymptomatic. Lung mets at diagnosis with rapid progression of lung lesions within 2 weeks. He is being treated with Xue Fu Zhu Yu Tang + E Zhu + San Lang and Xiao Chai Hu Tang, fish oil, antioxidant, xanthone supplement and low glycemic index home cooked diet. Disease has been stable for 10 months and he is completely asymptomatic.
Hope this inspires.
Erin