After being diagnosed with cancer, a man in Hanoi chose not to undergo hospital treatment. Instead, he attempted to treat himself at home by drinking salted lemon water and fasting, causing his disease to worsen and the cancer to spread throughout his body.

Self-Treating Cancer Through Fasting

Mr. N.Q.K. (68, from Hanoi) was diagnosed with rectal cancer that had metastasized to his liver six months ago. The diagnosis left him shocked, anxious, and deeply fearful of death.

Rather than following his doctors’ treatment plan, Mr. K. decided to pursue self-healing methods. He joined an online community that promoted dietary therapies and lemon juice as alternative cancer treatments.

Following the advice shared in the group, he squeezed one lemon into salted water every morning and drank it. At the same time, he completely eliminated meat and carbohydrates from his diet, eating only vegetables and fruits. Occasionally, when he became extremely hungry, he would eat a few spoonfuls of rice. He believed that “starving” his body would cause cancer cells to die. Many members of the community also claimed that fasting and drinking lemon water could shrink tumors, which further strengthened his belief.

However, when abdominal ultrasounds showed that the tumor had not shrunk, he switched to drinking alkaline water. He purchased a machine advertised as capable of producing alkaline water from ordinary tap water and used it instead of regular drinking water. He was also given litmus paper to test his saliva and supposedly determine whether he was consuming enough alkaline water.

Despite these efforts, increasing pain in his right upper abdomen caused by liver metastases left him concerned. He then turned to traditional herbal medicine, taking remedies prescribed by a highly recommended “healer” for two consecutive months.

The consequences were severe. After six months of fasting and relying on unproven treatments, Mr. K. lost 20 kilograms. From weighing nearly 70 kg, he was admitted to the hospital in a critically weakened state, reduced almost to skin and bones. His tumor had grown large enough to completely block the rectum, causing intestinal obstruction and forcing doctors to perform emergency surgery.

Dr. Doan Du Manh, a member of the Vietnam Society of Vascular Diseases, said that Mr. K. initially concealed the fact that he had rejected evidence-based medical treatment in favor of alternative remedies. Only after detailed questioning did he reveal the truth. By then, the opportunity for early treatment had already been lost. Doctors had no choice but to perform emergency surgery, followed by additional supportive treatments.

According to Dr. Manh, excessive consumption of salted lemon water can cause chronic conditions to worsen unexpectedly and may eventually damage organs such as the heart, kidneys, and blood vessels in the brain, increasing the risk of stroke and death. Both traditional and modern medicine therefore advise against excessive salt intake, even for healthy individuals.

Patients with serious illnesses often desperately seek cures, making them vulnerable to trends and misinformation that lack scientific evidence. Dr. Manh advises patients to remain cautious, trust qualified healthcare professionals, follow established treatment protocols, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and stay optimistic in order to manage their illness effectively.

Cancer Cells Cannot Be Starved to Death

From an oncology perspective, Dr. Nguyen Duy Anh, former physician at the Nuclear Medicine and Oncology Center of Bach Mai Hospital in Hanoi, emphasized that fasting for prolonged periods as a cure for diseases—especially cancer—has no scientific basis. Rather than curing illness, it can lead to severe malnutrition and physical deterioration.

Today, scientifically proven cancer treatments include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and systemic therapies. Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in helping patients maintain the strength needed to undergo treatment, thereby extending survival and, in some cases, achieving a cure when cancer is detected early.

Patients who rely on unproven methods not only fail to cure their cancer but also weaken their immune systems and overall health, creating conditions that may allow cancer to progress more rapidly. As a result, the disease becomes more severe and valuable treatment opportunities are lost.

Dr. Duy Anh also stressed that cancer cells do not “feed” on food in the ordinary sense. Therefore, complete fasting cannot eliminate them. Cancer can only be effectively controlled when patients receive appropriate treatment through evidence-based medical care.