A 45-year-old Filipina expat in Dubai successfully battled breast cancer without resorting to chemotherapy, opting instead for alternative treatments. Rowena Alcaide Vasquez was initially diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, which led to the removal of her left breast. Despite this, she experienced a recurrence of symptoms in 2023, indicating a return of the cancer. Upon consulting with an oncologist at Zulekha Hospital Dubai, Vasquez explicitly stated her aversion to chemotherapy.
Vasquez chose to explore alternative treatment methods rather than undergo chemotherapy. She explained, “I haven’t undergone chemo earlier nor did I want to, based on what I had seen in movies and documentaries. I have also heard about the pain and side effects the treatment causes on one’s body. So, I requested my doctors for alternative treatment.” She further added, “I was facing respiratory crisis and my health was declining, so I wasn't comfortable with the idea of taking traditional chemotherapy.”
After a two-year hiatus from follow-up checks, Vasquez presented at the emergency room with severe pain in her left chest and axilla, along with uncontrolled hypertension and respiratory distress. The medical team stabilized her condition through intensive care, hydration, and oxygen therapy, according to Dr. Anwar Sami Mohsin Ali, the oncologist at the hospital. A biopsy revealed a 7-by-7cm cancerous mass, and further investigations showed secondary malignant growths in the lungs, lymph nodes, and bones.
With Vasquez's consent, the doctors initiated a novel treatment approach involving biological targeted therapy, including medicines like CDK 4/6 inhibitor Abemaciclib, combined with hormonal therapies Letrozole and Goserelin, and the bone support agent Zometa. After three treatment cycles, Vasquez’s respiratory function normalized, the pain subsided, and the axillary mass reduced by over 50 percent. By the fifth cycle, bone pain had completely subsided, and the local mass nearly disappeared.
Vasquez is now cancer-free and expressed her satisfaction with the treatment, saying, “Over the course of treatment, I am very satisfied that the doctor explained the details to me and respected my decision to take this treatment. The nursing team was also very supportive each time I came in to take the injections. My life has improved significantly for which I am thankful to Almighty.” Dr. Ali emphasized that not all cancer patients require chemotherapy, even those in critical states, and that personalized treatment plans can achieve positive results.
