I have not conducted any survey on the outcome of cancer patients by chemotherapy but all the incidences that I have personally encountered are often very unforgettable. The case of Miss Lilla of Denmark who, as mentioned earlier, died of fungalpneumonia and the death of Professor cum philosopher Ming Ming of the University of Hainan who died of pulmonary infection and lung failure due to over-dose chemotherapy always cause me heartache. During September 2009, a VIP patient came to our hospital. He was the chief executive of well-known listed company in China. He suffered from cholangiocarcinoma three month ago and had a hepalobectomy in Shanghai. When he was admitted to our hospital, there were multiple metastases of lung, liver, bone and abdomen. Metastasis at the vicinity of the spine caused spinal nerve compression which caused acute pain. When I looked at his suffering, I empathized with him very much. About four to five years ago, I suffered from the same disease, cholangiocarcinoma. My preoperative condition was very similar to that of his: single tumor of similar size. The only difference was he was fifteen years younger than I. As he was a senior officer, he was given privileged treatment. After surgery, he was given the best chemotherapy, the most adequate course of treatment and the most advanced radiotherapy. Comparatively, I was not given treatment as good as his. After surgery, I was advised to have chemotherapy. I asked whether cholangiocarcinoma was sensitive to chemotherapy and the answer was “Not sensitive”. I asked, “Since it is not sensitive to chemotherapy, why should I have it?” Now, the final result turned out that I was more fortunate than him. With tears in his eyes, the chief executive said, “Professor Xu, I regret very much and I’m not resigned to that treatment I had been given was a “mechanical flow process” treatment, while yours was a tailor-made treatment.”
That is right! “Tailor-made” as the chief executive put it. Individualized treatment as what is being advocated now is tailor-made treatment. Branded suits and clothes sold in famous retail outlets are custom-made and “individualized treatment” probably carries the same meaning as well.