A 42-year-old woman has faced a harrowing ordeal after resorting to a controversial folk remedy involving bee stings to treat her breast cancer. This drastic decision resulted in severe necrosis, ultimately necessitating a double mastectomy. The woman, whose identity remains undisclosed, was first diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer at Ho Chi Minh City Oncology Hospital two years ago after discovering lumps in her breasts.

Despite the grim diagnosis and her family's persistent encouragement, she exhibited signs of psychological distress and steadfastly refused conventional medical treatment. In a desperate bid to find relief and cure her illness, the family turned to alternative remedies, influenced by online claims suggesting that “bee venom can kill cancer cells within 24 hours.” Motivated by these claims, they purchased dozens of bees and initiated a regimen of direct bee stings on her breasts.

Unfortunately, this unconventional treatment did not yield the desired results. Instead, the woman’s right breast became increasingly swollen and filled with pus, leading to an unbearable situation. In a moment of extreme distress and pain, she resorted to using a razor blade to cut open her breast in an attempt to drain the pus herself. This act only worsened her condition, causing the ulcer to deepen and bleed continuously.

It was only after this self-inflicted trauma that she finally agreed to seek professional medical help, arriving at Xuyen A General Hospital. Upon admission, oncologist Pham Anh Tu reported that the woman was in dire condition, presenting with advanced-stage cancer, an ulcerated right breast, and concerning metastatic lymph nodes in her armpit and neck.

The surgical team at Xuyen A General Hospital acted swiftly, performing a bilateral mastectomy along with skin grafting to address the extensive damage caused by the cancer. The tumor had infiltrated much of her chest wall, necessitating significant intervention. Following the surgery, the woman’s health has been gradually improving under medical care, and doctors have initiated chemotherapy in hopes of extending her life and providing recovery from this tragic sequence of events.