Notes from Japan

28-year-old MM Patient Seeks Help - Tokyo, Japan

December 12, 1997

Dear Sir,

I am a patient with mesothelioma. The diseases was diagnosed last year and I had to undergo a surgery to remove the tumor and also my ribs had to be cut and the chest wall reconstructed with a mesh. While performing the operation the surgeon noticed small nodule along the left side of my chest. The tumor began spreading all along the left side and the doctors decided to give me chemotherapy. I had to undergo 6 cycles and I have completed the treatment in July this year. There was a small portion of the diseases remaining and the doctors were deciding radiation but then since I am only 28 years and my health has been excellent until this, they decided not. It has been 41/2 months since and a very recent CT scan has reveled a slight increase in the tumor. My blood reports are good and the haemogram is up to 14. Also the doctor conducted some kind of blood test which does not indicate any cancer activity in the blood. My present health is good my weight is 72kg. and I am doing some swimming. Basically I have the will to live and am ready to do whatever it takes to live. Please advise and consider this very URGENT!

My home phone is 81-3-5920-2694

Abhijit Joshi
Network Engineer
Fusion Systems Japan, Inc
<abhijit@fsj.co.jp>
Work: 81-3-5724-6808 x3106
Fax: 81-3-5721-5784

I understand your situation and urgency. I am very impressed with the technical expertise of Dr. Yoh Watanabe at the Kanazawa University School of Medicine. I personnally can attest to his skill and devotion to patients. He is the Chairman of the Department of Surgery, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, Japan, 076-265-2350.

I hope you are able to reach him and explain your situation to him.

Harvey I. Pass MD
Professor of Surgery and Oncology
Wayne State University

Tri-Modal Therapy in Singapore - Singapore, Japan

October 7, 1997

Hello Roger,

I am a son of a malignant mesothelioma patient. My dad is 59, Chinese, and was an ex-smoker. (He smoked 4-5 sticks a day for 5 years but has stopped smoking 20+ years ago)

We are not very sure how he got this cancer, but as a youth, he worked in the British Naval Base in Singapore. Since then, he started his own business doing electrical lamp fittings.

He suffered chest pains in Feb this year and was admitted to hospital. The hospital diagnosed TB and did a "tap" to remove water from his left lung. But, very little water is drawn, and he was sent home. He was also informed that he was slightly diabetic and was out on diet-control. He lost about 12kg during this period.

In late July this year, he decided to see our family doctor and he was shocked at the weight-loss. My dad was referred to a lung specialist and a biopsy was done. It took them 2 weeks to confirm it is mesothelioma.

In late Sept, he underwent a 5-hour surgery whereby his left lung is removed and the lining around his heart is replaced with an artificial mesh. He is recovering well from surgery but the pain is still acute that he has to sit up in the middle of the night.

Next week (17 Oct), he will be starting on his chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The oncologist will be using Taxol & Carboplatin and they will be applied through the veins. There will be 3 cycles for this treatment and each will be 3 weeks apart. Both chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment will be co-coordinated.

Currently, our concern has been the effectiveness of these treatment. This form of cancer is very rare in Singapore and my dad will be the first patient they will see with this disease. No one can say for sure that this treatment will be useful, perhaps we really need some assurance.

Joshua Ng
Singapore
"Josh - UP60" <jng@post1.com>