Kania was diagnosed with low-grade glioma in the thalamus (the brain’s nerve center) that had already invaded the surrounding vital tissues in 2014, causing loss of balance, difficulty standing, and hydrocephalus. Her case was inoperable, so Kania relied solely on the ECCT device. Her condition gradually improved, although the progress was slow due to the slow growth of the tumor; the ECCT response depends on the speed of tumor growth. After losing hope, Kania has now returned to regular school and become a memorizer of the Qur’an.
Image: MRI scan results before and after using the device for 4 years (right); Results of brain pressure changes recorded with the ECVT device after 2 and 5 years of use (second from the right); A photo of Kania with Dr. Warsito after reaching 5 and 10 years as a survivor.
Kania was only 8 years old when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor in August 2014. Initially, she complained of headaches, nausea, vomiting, and seizures. Due to frequent vomiting and seizures, her father took her to a doctor for consultation and a CT scan examination.
The CT scan results showed a 3 cm mass in the center of the brain, known as the thalamus (the brain’s nerve center), extending to the right mesencephalon with unclear boundaries (diffuse), suspected to be low-grade glioma cancer. The tumor mass compressed the brain’s fluid channels, leading to hydrocephalus.
Because the possibility of surgically removing the tumor was minimal due to its location in the brain’s nerve center and its spread to surrounding tissues, her father refused surgery. The doctor’s suggestion to install a VP shunt (a tube to drain brain fluid) to reduce brain pressure caused by hydrocephalus was also declined.
As a result of the tumor mass, Kania experienced balance, motor, and vision disturbances. Her father then sought various alternative treatments, including herbal remedies.
Kania’s father eventually found the Lavender cancer survivor community and was introduced to the ECCT device in early 2016. After a brief trial at the Lavender Garden Foundation, based on the doctor’s recommendation, her parents decided to request a custom-made device for Kania at the C-Care Cancer Research Lab in Tangerang.
The type of low-grade glioma Kania had is a tumor with low malignancy. When treated with ECCT, the dead cells tend to be sticky and adhere tightly, like glue. Therefore, in general, low-grade glioma cases respond slowly to ECCT due to their slow growth (over years).
The buildup of sticky dead cells around the original tumor mass is also difficult for the body’s immune cells to absorb and expel through normal excretion like bowel movements, urine, and sweat. The continuous buildup of dead cells can also cause ongoing inflammation.
However, in Kania’s case, because the tumor mass was directly connected to the brain fluid drainage pathway (fourth ventricle), it was easier for the dead cells to be expelled through the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and eliminated through the intestines via bowel movements.
Thus, Kania’s waste elimination reaction after using the device was quite fast and extreme, marked by foul-smelling dark stools, frequent foul-smelling urination, and gas.
Kania’s overall condition also improved relatively quickly. Her motor and vision functions improved the fastest within a month. During the first month of using the device, Kania experienced mild seizures in her legs, similar to an electric shock, possibly due to the device’s stimulation of her leg nerves.
After three months, most of her complaints had disappeared. Her seizures and vomiting stopped, and her general condition returned to near normal. However, her eyes still couldn’t look straight ahead, possibly because the brain pressure from the hydrocephalus hadn’t completely subsided.
A CT scan after 2 years showed that the tumor volume had reduced by half compared to the CT scan from 4 years earlier. However, because no CT scan was taken at the start of the device usage, the exact reduction in tumor volume during treatment couldn’t be determined.
Entering the 9th year since being diagnosed with a brain tumor, Kania’s condition continued to improve. The latest scan of her brain activity using ECVT (Feb 2023) showed results nearing normal. There was still slight pressure in the back of her brain, which may correlate with pressure on her optic nerves in the visual cortex due to the possibility of remaining brain fluid accumulation.
Now, at 18 years old, Kania has returned to regular school and has memorized 10 Juz of the Qur’an. May Kania continue to grow and stay healthy, bringing blessings and pride to her parents and family (WS).
