Larissa: Travelling To Japan for Unique Treatments with Stage 4
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- Опубликовано: 1 дек 2023
- Larissa first noticed that something was changing in her body when she saw that her tongue was cracked. Initially, she spoke with her dentist, but he didn’t have any answers. Her hair also became brittle and she experienced some pain in the right side of her stomach.
Eventually, Larissa had an ultrasound, which didn’t turn up anything unusual. She had a colonoscopy and endoscopy later on, and they discovered a large tumor in her stomach. Larissa said her doctor was in shock - he wasn’t prepared to discover anything like this.
Shortly after, Larissa had a chest port installed and began an aggressive regimen of chemotherapy. Unfortunately, she suffered many side effects from chemo, and Larissa wondered if she’d be able to pull through. She traveled to several hospitals, including City of Hope and MD Anderson, and she was always told that she didn’t have much time left. Doctors encouraged her to return home and get her affairs in order.
Larissa and her family didn’t give up - they discovered a Tokyo-based doctor who was running an experimental program for stomach cancer treatment (the most common type of cancer in Japan). Dr. Ishigami requested Larissa’s medical records and a letter from a local oncologist who would agree to follow his protocol. Larissa’s treatment took her around the world - she ended up in Japan, where she received a peritoneal port. Larissa did three weeks on, one week off of treatments for more than four years. Peritoneal ports are not highly common in the US, but they can be highly effective. In Larissa’s case, she returned to Japan for two surgeries: one to remove the port, and one to remove what was left of the mass.
It’s been more than a year since Larissa’s surgery. She continued with chemo after coming home, but just finished her last treatment. December marks five years since she received her initial stage 4 diagnosis.
Larissa recommends educating yourself as much as you can. She read books, listened to podcasts, spoke with experts, and took all the steps she could to prolong her life. She believes that staying active and engaged helped her immune system and allowed her to thrive despite her challenges.
I’m so happy you’re healed and healthy! I think it also gives others hope.
Amazing journey. I am wondering how to contact Dr Ishigami?
How can we contact this Doctor?
Japan has a much higher incidence of stomach cancer. Very wise seeking help there. God bless and heal you.
Is this treatment available at American now?