Mr. Wu from Inner Mongolia with esophageal cancer

On February 2, 2016, Mr. Wu from Inner Mangolia went to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital for re-examination with the company of his son. When learning that thre result of re-examination showed each indicator was normal, he held attending doctor Xing Yanli’s hands tightly with eyes full of tears and said: “Ms. Xing, thank you very much. Thank also goes to Doctor Li Hongmei and Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital. There are not only excellent medical skills, but also high-quality service.”

Mr. Wu (right) and Doctor Xing

64-year-old Mr. Wu had been manager of a factory for 20 years and wanted to enjoy retirement. However, he was diagnosed as esophageal cancer with lymph metastasis. His son was eager to save him and took him to Beijing for medical care, but doctors’ answers were “resection”. Mr. Wu was afraid of the risk of resection and hoped to find a treatment plan with less wound. Two sons inquired here and there. Learning that the characteristic cancer treatment mode of Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital suited father’s wish of treating in Internet, they decided to have a try at Guangzhou.

On August 21, 2015, Mr. Wu went to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital with his son. What surprised him was that chief president Xu Kecheng visited him. Mr. Wu recalled: “President Xu was very humble and joked that I was just 64, and he was 75, 11 years older than me. He was a cancer patient too. I should be confident because they would help me. After hearing president’s words, I was relieved suddenly.”

Learning that Mr. Wu hoped to have treatment with less wound, chief president Xu Kecheng organized a consultation with experts at once. At final, they decided to treat Mr. Wu with photodynamic therapy.

In fact, there are many patients afraid of surgery like Mr. Wu. Besides conventional surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy, Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital has personalized treatment techniques of “CCC+P” treatment mode, including cancer photodynamic therapy, a mini-invasive treatment which eliminating cancerous cells by photosensitizer and laser.  

In late August and October of 2015, Mr. Wu had twice esophageal cancer photodynamic treatment successively. On September 7, he had iodine 125 seeds implantation of cardial lymph nodes. The surgery was successful. After surgery, Mr. Wu had a good recovery. Attending Doctor Xing Yanli said, “After these treatments, Mr. Wu’s condition became better. He just need to have regular re-examination.”

On February 23 this year, Mr. Wu went back to Fuda for re-examination and all was right. His son said sincerely: “Thank Fuda Cancer Hospital. I hope you can establish a branch at Inner Mongalia for benefiting cancer patients there.” On February 25, Mr Wu and son headed for home happily.

Mr. Wu (right) and his son give their thumb-ups to Fuda Cancer Hospital

Ladana Lung Cancer with Bone Metastasis Thailand

On June 19, the day before Ladana was discharged from hospital, medical workers dressed her up and took her to dinner for celebrating the success of her operation. Ladana was happy like a child. Her hair was carefully combed. And she was on a blue dress with a stylish silk scarf. At 62, she was full of vitality, and didn’t seem like a cancer patient. 

Ladana from Thailand, a last stage lung cancer patient with bone metastasis

In January 2013, Ladana developed symptom of cough and the symptom alleviated after seeing a doctor at local hospital. She didn’t think she would be associated with cancer for there was no history of cancer in her family.

After three months, she had re-examination and found a lump in left lung by CT, which means lung cancer should be considered. “Local doctors suggested surgery to resect the five centimeter large tumor. Then, control the metastases of right lung and lymph nodes by chemotherapy. But doctor wasn’t sure whether I could live for six months after having these treatments. ” Ladana said.

When she felt so rough, she watched a video about latest treatments technology for cancer at Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital at at YouTube by accident. She searched related information and made comparison with treatment technology in US. After consideration, she made her mind to have treatment at Fuda Cancer Hospital, because her life might be save here. 

She sent the results of CT scan and biopsy and other information to the E-mail of Fuda Cancer Hospital to ask treatments. Doctor replied her soon and suggested cryosurgery.

Cryosurgery is a latest technique for treatment of cancer which has been approved by the United States’  Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in 1998 and China’  SDA in 1999. It’s one of characteristic mini-invasive treatments in “CCC+P” cancer treatment mode that created originally by Fuda Cancer Hospital. Cryosurgery is an important ablation technique for tumors. It destroys tumors by cycles of freezing and thawing. Cryosurgery's destructive effects on tumors are due to two major mechanisms, one immediate, the other delayed. The immediate mechanism is the damaging effect of freezing and thawing the cells. The delayed mechanism is the progressive failure of microcirculation; ultimately, vascular stasis becomes operative as an important cause of tumor tissue destruction.

On September 13, Ladana was processing admission at Fuda Cancer Hospital. On September 18, she accepted cryosurgery for left lung and biopsy. And the surgery was successful. Three day later, she could leave hospital and return to her country.

Then, doctor sent e-mail to tell her, the result of gene test showed that she was suited to have targeted therapy and targeted drug could control metastatsis. Doctor told the drug’s name to Ladana. She insisted to take it for three years. During treatment, she paid great attention to diet and kept taking regular exercise. However, she neglected re-examination. Throughout the three year, she never went to hospital for re-examination.

The author asked her, “Why didn’t you go to hospital for re-examination?” Ladana said regretfully, “I thought that targeted drug, healthy diet and regular exercise were enough. It’s not unnecessary to have re-examination because I didn’t feel unwell. Until one day, I got chest congestion and easy fatigue. Therefore, I decided to come back Fuda Cancer Hospital for re-examination. Then the result showed that a tumor which was three centimeter larger than before was in her body.”

The result made Ladana worried and scary. Her mood just likes a shredded paper scattered on the ground, but she couldn’t pick up. She decided to have cryosurgery once again.

Ladana (left 4) and medical workers

Before surgery, doctor explained the risks of it. Because the tumor was close to the helium of the lung and trachea, cryosurgery possibly could cause bleeding, hemoptysis, temporary tracheal obstruction and pulmonary atelectasis. Hearing these complications that may occur, Ladana was worried for several hours, but she still believed Dr. Niu Lizhi’s medical skills. 

In the noon of June 14, she accepted her second cryosurgery. “Before operation, anesthetist gave me a lot of encouragement and let me trust doctor. After operation, doctor sent me to ICU one day for observing condition. During my illness, there were doctors and nurses taking care of me in turn all the time. ” She said.

Three days after operation, Ladana’s indicators of physical examination were normal without complication. Doctor told her she could be discharged from hospital after having a rest for two days.

After being treated at Fuda Cancer Hospital twice, she found that the hospital has not only excellent medical skills but also humanistic care. She said gratefully, “what impressed me most is medical workers’ meticulous care and attention. At the same time, I must express my gratitude to translator and support staff for their high quality service. ”
  

Ladana and medical workers

Before leaving, Ladana wrote her experience and expression of gratitude to medical workers of Fuda Cancer Hospital on the notebook.

Giglia’s story Stomach Cancer- Australia

On June 10, 2010, when Professor Xu Kecheng was on a visit to the United States, he received an email forwarded from his secretary. It was from an Australian patient’s grandson Ciccotosto from Ward 7, said, "Dear Professor Xu, you are very friendly to my family and me...... I think this time you must be very happy in America. ...... I would like to ask you whether I could work as a doctor in your hospital and learn from your good hospital from now on. I will work hard and study hard in your hospital.......“This was an email from a 9-year-old laddish boy, President Xu became excited after reading this letter, said “what we have done surprisingly touched a child!”

Laddish boy from Australia

The child’s grandfather is Giglia who lives in Perth, one city of the west coast of Australia, from which there are two Nobel Prize winners in gastroenterology, that is, Marshall and Warren. Helicobacter pylori they find brings a revolutionary change in gastric illness treatment and a new concept of the incidence of gastric cancer as well. Mr. Giglia suffered from gastric cancer, upon diagnosis, he had lost the chance to receive surgical resection and chemotherapy failed to control the disease. At that time, he was already 81 years old. He is a restaurant owner, who has three daughters and one son. In September 2009, accompanied by his two daughters and grandson, he came to China for the first time and presented to Fuda Cancer Hospital. At that time, his condition was quite severe. He experienced repeated haematemesis. After receiving treatments, his disease was been controlled. After discharging from hospital, he did ​​several follow-up reexaminations in Australia, which demonstrated that most of primary tumor and lymph node metastases had disappeared. The whole family was thrilled, so the grandfather came back to hospital for consolidation treatment. During the treatment break, they visited scenic spots and historic sites in Guangzhou, and enjoyed Guangzhou cuisine. The old gentleman said, “My grandson is quite smart, when learning that I am getting better day by day, he conceives an idea of “studying medicine” in China. “ In June 26 of 2010, the old gentleman discharged from hospital, President Xu encountered them in the lobby. The little boy took Prof. Xu by the hand and asked Prof. Xu to promise him to study medicine in Fuda Hospital when he grew up.

In recent years, the little boy Ciccotosto have kept contacted with Prof. Xu, updating his grandfather’s condition. In November 2013, he asked one patient to bring Prof. Xu a letter, saying that his grandpa missed Prof. Xu and doctors and nurses.

Giglia G - Gastric Cancer 

Giglia G is an 81-year-old male gastric cancer patient. In September 2009, he presented to Fuda Cancer Hospital because of repeated hematemesis. Endoscopic examination showed diffuse hemorrhage and erosion below gastric cardia, uneven surface and irregular nodules. Biopsy showed that it was poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma. CT and endoscopic ultrasonography demonstrated perigastric multiple lymph node enlargement. After he received vascular interventional therapy, photodynamic therapy under endoscope, and combined immunotherapy, hematemesis stopped. Follow-up endoscopy displayed the condition of diffuse hemorrhage and erosion had been significantly improved. Progression-free survival of the patient has been four and a half years.

Treatment Experience of Giglia

For unresectable gastric cancer, especially elderly patients, those treatments with small trauma and fewer side effects should be taken not to "cure" cancer but "stabilize" cancer, seeking for "living with cancer" and long-term survival. Cancer is a kind of chronic disease, if patient can maintain a good immune function, cancer can stop progression. Under the premise of eliminating tumor or reducing "tumor load" (reduction in tumor volume), combined immunotherapy can help patients "peacefully co-exist" with cancer to achieve long-term survival.

Clemencia Aguinaldo from Philippine with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

On December 12, 2015, Ms. Clemencia from Philippine looks great in the khaki’s woolen coat. Before she was discharged, she and her daughter shook hands with Dr. Niu Lizhi, president of Fuda Cancer Hospital in farewell. She said gratefully, “I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Niu, without whom I might be still tortured by cancer...” Liu Hongyun, head of the nursing group of third ward found it even harder to say goodbye to them. She embraced them tightly and sent her best wishes. The scene was really moving.

A photo of the patient (in the middle) and medical workers

Clemencia is 69 years old this year. She told the reporter that she had always been in good health until July 2010 when she found a mass in the right lower neck. She received examination at a local hospital and was found to have right undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Her condition showed no remission after operation and daily treatment. Later on, a fellow townsman told her that Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital in China has been delivering good therapeutic effects for patients and many people have sought treatment over there. Clemecia decided to give it a try for fear that her condition would aggravate.

In September 2010, she headed for Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital with her daughter. She was surprised to learn that medical workers at FUDA should have arranged airport pick-up service for them. Clemecia said, “FUDA has been very considerate in taking care of foreign patients.”

With the assistance of medical workers at FUDA, Clemencia went through admission formalities in no time. Patient completed relevant examinations after admission. The admitting diagnosis was “multiple solid masses are detected in right neck, which were considered to be enlarged lymph nodes; nasopharyngeal carcinoma with lymph node metastases in right neck; right thyroid nodule.” The expert medical team led by Dr. Niu Lizhi discussed and finalized the treatment plan as argon-helium cryosurgery for her on the basis of the examination result.

Dr. Niu Lizhi introduced that Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital became the first hospital in mainland China to have introduced argon-helium cryosurgery since its initiation in 2001. The biggest advantages of argon-helium cryosurgery lie in its complete destruction of tumor, prevention of tumor metastases, painless treatment process and exemption of body trauma.

Clemencia showed great satisfaction to the treatment plan and her willingness to cooperate with treatment.

On September 15, 2010, Clemencia underwent argon-helium cryosurgery at Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital. She felt much better after the procedure. She also underwent two cycles of interventional chemotherapy on October 12 and November 1 respectively. She showed improved condition and was discharged.

Later, Clemencia underwent another three cycles of interventional chemotherapy at Fuda Cancer Hospital on December 2010, January 2011, and February 2011 respectively.

After she went back to Philippine, Clemencia received many times of examinations at local hospital and no evidence of tumor recurrence was ever found. Some of her friends were so surprised to see her in such good condition, saying, “You look so energetic and doesn’t look like a cancer patient at all”. Clemecia was really glad to hear that. She said her condition has improved significantly and she is totally fit after treatment at Fuda Cancer Hospital.

In December 2015, Clemencia come back to FUDA once again for re-examination and DC-CIK immunotherapy. She told the reporter that she now has good quality of sleep and good spirit every day. And she has resumed her living habit before she got sick. She takes a walk every day as walking is her favorite sport. She once again expressed her thanks to medical workers at FUDA for helping her regain a healthy life.

A photo of (from left to right) the patient’s daughter, the patient, Liu Hongyun, head of the nursing group of third ward, the patient’s husband (during hospitalization)

A photo of (from left to right) the patient, patient’s daughter, Liu Hongyun, head of the nursing group of third ward on December 12, 2015

A photo of (from Left to right) the patient, patient’s daughter, Liu Hongyun, head of nursing group of third ward on December 12, 2015

TIPS：

Cryosurgical Ablation (CSA)

As a new treatment for cancer, cryosurgery has been approved by the United States FDA (Food and Drug Administration in 1998 and China FDA in 1999 respectively. China has been taking a lead in the world both in terms of cryosurgery cases and treated types of cancer. Since the introduction of cryosurgery in 2000, Fuda Cancer Hospital has carried out 5,000 cases of cryosurgery for 34 types of cancer, taking a leading position both at home and abroad.

Principle

Cryosurgery is an important ablation technique for tumors. The fundamental principle of cryosurgery is as follows. The temperature of cancerous tissue falls to below -160℃rapidly and then raises to normal temperature. The process can lead to dehydration and rupture of cancer cells or destruction of small tumor blood vessels that would lead to tumor cell death. Dead cancerous tissues in situ after cryosurgery can elicits an immunologic reaction as antigens; cancer cells after cryosurgery are more sensitive to chemotherapy or cryosurgery, hence the effectiveness of chemotherapy or radiotherapy is enhanced.

Cryosurgery can be carried out during open surgery, under the guidance of endoscopy or through percutaneous puncture, among percutaneous cryosurgery is most commonly used.

Advantages

1. Cryosurgery is a localized medical procedure. It can be used as the sole means of cancer treatment or it can be combined with other conventional treatment techniques such as surgical operation, chemotherapy, radiotherapy.

2. Combining cryosurgery with excision can be advantageous since freezing the tumor before excision minimizes the risk of spreading the cancerous cells during excision.

3. In addition to sparing healthy tissue, cryosurgery is advantageous because it is not dose-limited can be repeated as necessary in order to destroy all cancerous tissue.

4. In situations where the tumor is not removed after freezing, especially percutaneous cryosurgery, operative blood loss is small and post-surgical discomfort is minimized.

5. Cryoprobes are relatively small (generally in the range of 24 mm in diameter) and therefore they may be used in minimally invasive surgical procedures.

6. There are no major side effects which are commonly found in chemotherapy or radiotherapy.

7. Cryosurgery is adaptable for treatment of tumor close to large vessel which cannot be removed by operation.

8. Cryosurgery can treat small as well as large tumors, and solitary as well as multiple tumors.

9. Cryosurgery not only destroys neoplasms locally, but it also elicits an immunologic reaction (cryoimmunologic reaction) against cancer.

10. It produces a synergy effect to combine cryosurgery with radiotherapy or chemotherapy.

11. There is evidence that the recurrence rate of cancer after cryosurgery is lower than that of operation.

Indications:

Nearly all parenchymal cancers are prime candidates for cryoablation. They include liver cancer, ling cancer, kidney cancer, ovarian cancer, pharyngeal cancer, testicular cancer, uterine tumor, vaginal cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, sarcoma and other benign or malignant lesions of bone, prostate cancer, skin cancer and melanoma, head and neck cancer and soft tissue tumor of various kinds and etc. In addition, cryosurgery can be an effective treatment for retinoblastoma, skin basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinomas, actinic keratosis and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Mr. Prinalani from India with Colon Cancer

A colon cancer patient’s ulcerated skin has fully recovered after over two weeks’ treatment at Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital. His family member repeatedly said the speed of recovery is really unbelievable. 

The patient’s son during the interview

The 75-year-old Indian Prinalani has been a resident in Hong Kong. In December 19, the author met with Prinalani. Wearing light blue hospital gown, he is lying in bed with a smile on his face. Whenever the nurses came to do nursing care, he would repeatedly say, “thank you.” 

Prinalani’s son told the author that his father is getting better. The ulcerated skin has fully recovered and his state of mind is also becoming more positive. It is hard to believe that the patient has ulcerated skin with errhysis and exudation and unpleasant smell was giving out from his body when the patient was just admitted into the hospital. As the patient has worn diapers for a long time, the skin in buttock and hip has ulcerated. The nurse has to change the bed linen several times a day due to the large amount of exudation.

The head nurse in fifth floor said, “for the first two days of his hospitalization, Prinalani refused to have shower in the bathroom. He said his legs were too weak and painful to stand up. What he wanted was just a scrub in bed. In order to encourage the patient to be cooperative with treatment and enhance his trust in medical workers, all medical workers at 5th ward had a meeting, discussing how to move the patient with their patience and consideration.”

On the third day after his hospitalization, the head nurse led several nurses to his room. They explained to him that he should have a shower to keep his body clean; otherwise, the skin ulcer will not alleviate; it will also cause infection and ulcerated skin all over. Hence, his condition will be getting worse and worse. After repeated explanation, Prinalani finally understood the severity of the problem and agreed to have shower in the bathroom. 

At the first time when he had shower, four nurses and Prinalani’s son transferred the patient from bed to wheelchair and then to the bathroom. It took the nurses almost one hour to help the patient with brushing teeth and washing the face and having a shower, which were seemingly very simple things for common people. Each time after the patient had a shower, the nurses would be wet all over and have sweat oozing from his face.

When nurses came to help the patient with showering, they would always took a basin of hot water. As the patient has feet edema and was bedridden for a long time, soaking the feet in hot water could relax the muscles and promote blood circulation. Every morning, the nurse would change the air bed, bed sheet and help Prinalani put on clean clothes, then apply boric acid and colostomy powder alternatively on the skin. The nurses would also help him turn over, rinse the mouth and do skin care every two hours. With the considerate care of medical workers, no the ulcerated kin has fully recovered; the rashes also disappear; the terrible smell is also no more existing. He feels better by each passing sat and is more cooperate with the treatment.

Before, Prinalani’s family was very concerned about him as his physical condition was very bad. They regarded Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital as the last resort. Seeing that Prinalani’s condition is getting better, his son said emotionally, “I have no idea whether my father will be fully recovered or not but what I see is that my father’s is getting better both physically and mentally. All of these should give credit to the medical workers at Fuda who have given him encouragement and confidence.”

Actually, Prinalani’s son did not trust the medical technology that Fuda has at the beginning. His father has underwent surgery and other treatments in Hong Kong but the curative treatment is not obvious. He did not believe a private hospital in Guangzhou could do anything better. “As his skin problem was getting worse, my father felt very bad. A friend of mine recommend that we can have a try in Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital, but I had some concerns about the medical skill, environment and language barriers of the hospital. My whole family was also in doubt that whether Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital can really solve the problem that hospital in Hong Kong can do nothing about. ” 

“Why did you choose Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital in the end?” 

“As my father’s condition was getting worse, he needed to receive treatment as soon as possible. I consulted the consultant of Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital on the Internet. The consultant replied me soon. She asked me about my father’s condition in detail and also sent me the book Follow Me to Fight Against Cancer written by Prof. Xu Kecheng, the Chief President of Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital. From the book, I learned that Prof. Xu is also a cancer patient. After I read through the book, I trust the hospital all the more and then decided to bring my father to the hospital for treatment.” said Prinalani’s son.
”
“I would like to express my appreciation to medical workers at Fuda Cancer Hospital for their considerate care, without which my father would not have recovered so fast. Our initial doubts have been swept away. The environment here is nice. I do not have difficulty communicating with medical workers here. Doctors and nurses have very strong executive capability. Now, my father has full confidence in treatment and that really makes me feel relieved. All of these should give credits to FUDA.”
  

A photo of Mr. Prinalani, his son and nurses of the 5th ward.

The Story of Zhang Jinmei and her mother

Zhang Jinmei and her mother, two liver cancer survivors from Vietnam, returned to Fuda Cancer Hospital for re-examination together. In the morning of May 13, 2016, they expressed their appreciation to medical staffs at Fuda Cancer Hospitaln before their discharge.

Four out of the eight family members have been diagnosed with liver cancer

Hepatitis B virus infection and hepatitis C virus infection can significantly increase the incidence of liver cancer. Vietnam is one of the countries with high incidence of hepatitis. Vietnamese media reported that the number of hepatitis B virus carriers account for more than 10% of the national population and the number of hepatitis C virus carriers account for 0.4%-4.1% of the national population.

Zhang Jinmei, 46 years old, is from Ho Chi Minh City. She was born in a family with a medical history of hepatitis B. In the past few years, four out of the eight family members have been diagnosed with liver cancer. Her fourth brother passed away not long after his advanced liver cancer diagnosis. Her elder brother is receiving treatment in Europe and is currently in stable condition. In June 2012, Zhang Jinmei was found to have primary hepatic carcinoma during her physical examination at a local hospital. From July 2012 to January 2014, she underwent three cycles of TACE (transcatheter arterial chemoembolization) at a local hospital. However, the tumor did not shrink instead it grew bigger. Her doctor in Vietnam suggested her to do operation but she refused.

In order to seek more appropriate treatment methods, Zhang Jinmei’s elder sister found on the Internet that Fuda Cancer Hospital offers minimally invasive treatments for cancer, which have attracted patients from dozens of countries.

On May 9, 2014, Zhang Jinmei was admitted into Fuda Cancer Hospital. After completed relevant examinations, she underwent interventional chemotherapy and brachytherapy. The procedures went smoothly.

The mother and daughter both choose Fuda Cancer Hospital for cancer treatment

On May 26, 2014, Zhang Jinmei came to Guangzhou again with her 74-year-old mom who was also suffering from liver cancer.

Zhang Jinmei recalled, “After my liver cancer diagnosis in 2012, my mom was also diagnosed with liver cancer several months later. My mom has undergone various treatments at a local hospital but none of them showed good therapeutic effect. That’s why my brother and I suggested her to do treatment here.”

Zhang Jinmei’s mom said, “To be honest, I took a skeptical attitude towards the treatments offered here upon my admission. But soon, I found that my worries are really unnecessary. My doctors are very experienced and made the treatment plan for me after I completed relevant examinations. ”

On May 29, 2014, Zhang Jinmei’s mother underwent argon-helium cryosurgery. The procedure went smoothly and her cancer showed remission.

In May 2014, Zhang Jinmei was found to have lung metastases during her re-examination in Vietnam. Then, she made another trip to Fuda Cancer Hospital. Zhang Jinmei underwent three times of cryosurgery on liver tumors and one time of cryosurgery on left lung tumor from August 2014 to June 2015. She has had good postoperative recovery.

On May 9, 2015, Zhang Jinmei and her mother returned to Fuda Cancer Hospital for re-examination. The examination result of Ms. Zhang’s mother showed no tumor recurrence while hers showed residual active lesions in the left lower lung. Then, Zhang Jinmie received another cycle of cryosurgery.

To give a thumb-up to the doctors for their patience, care and sincerity

“I would like to thank chief physician Wang Jiannan, attending doctor Zhou Zhanchun, resident doctor Zhu Song, and resident doctor Lin Yuguo for answering our questions patiently. We are also very touched that Chief president Xu Kecheng also took time off from his busy schedule to visit us.”

“It’s been very difficult for my family in the past two years. All my families are hepatitis B virus carriers. My elder son and youngest daughter are both suffering from liver cancer and my fourth son also died of liver cancer. But now we are fortunate to have the encouragement from the medical staffs at FUDA, who always cheer us up whenever they saw us. I feel that I’m not only a cancer patient but also a family member of theirs. They can understand our sense of helplessness and make us feel the warmth from families.” Ms. Zhang’s mother said.


Infection of hepatitis B virus increases the risk of getting liver cancer

Li Jiangliang, director of Cancer Prevention and Rehabilitation Center of Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital noted malignant cancer is a major killer in the world while liver cancer is also a major disease that is posing threat to people’s life in China. In the fight against liver cancer, the premise of treatment is prevention, which could minimize the occurrence rate of liver cancer, and improve the early diagnostic rate of liver cancer,, improve the curative effect of cancer treatment and prolong the lifespan of the nationals.

Notably, infection of hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus will significantly increase the occurrence of liver cancer. The risk of getting liver cancer among hepatitis B virus carriers is 15 to 20 times higher than that among healthy people. Therefore, proper use of hepatitis B vaccine is an effective means to lower the risk of getting liver cancer. Not only baby child should receive hepatitis B vaccine injection but also adults who haven’t received the injection or who have received the injection but showed hepatitis B antibody negative. Apart from hepatitis B vaccine injection, other routes of transmission should also be severed, including receiving injection, acupuncture or oral treatment in unregulated medical institutions.

Expert profile:

Dr. Li Jiangliang was graduated from Norman Bethune Health Science Center of Jilin University in 1999. He obtained his master degree of medical immunology at Institute of Virology, China Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2005. He obtained his Doctoral Degree of Molecular Chemistry and Molecular Biology at Peking Union Medical College. Served as a research assistant at the Medical School of the Chinese University of Hong Kong from 2009 to 2010, he currently serves as the director of Cancer Prevention and Rehabilitation Center of Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital.

Mr. Cao’s journey of fighting adrenal cancer

In the morning of May 23, 2016, we met with Mr. and Mrs. Cao in their room. Mr. Cao, from Jiangsu province, is lean and tall. He talked with smile in a gentle manner. He opened the talk “I’m so grateful to Fuda Cancer Hospital for its outstanding medical team and excellent medical service, without which I won’t be able to talk to you today”. After tried and failed treatments in Shanghai, Hong Kong and the US, he decided to come to Fuda Cancer Hospital.

Mr. and Mrs. Cao and Xu Kecheng (M)

In March 2014, Mr. Cao was found to have an adrenal gland tumor during a routine examination and underwent left laparoscopic adrenalectomy at a hospital in Shanghai. His doctor advised him to have regular checkups after the surgery. He got back to his work after few days’ recuperation. However, in a regular examination in July 2015, he was found to have tumor recurrence. He was scared and disappointed. He said, “It shocked me that I was having cancer because I work out a lot, I don’t smoke and drink. I had thought the hospital might have made a mistake. Not until the re-examination result came out did I believe that there’s something wrong with my body.”

From then on, Mr. Cao started a long and difficult journey of cancer treatment. At the beginning, he made an appointment with a renowned expert in Shanghai and he waited for 4 hours before he had the chance to see the doctor only to be told that the type of his cancer is rare; it is very likely to come back and no curative medicine is available at present.’” Mr. Cao was reduced to despair upon the doctor’s words. However, he won’t give up for he has a lovely family, over 80-year-old parents and newly born granddaughter. With his whole life ahead of him, he was not to surrender and determined to beat the cancer.

Later on, the couple went to several major hospitals in Shanghai, but the doctors offered almost the same opinion. Tortured by the disease, Mr. Cao turned his eyes to Hong Kong, where they believed they have a better chance. Under his friends’ reference, he was admitted to one of the best hospitals in Hong Kong. He received conservative treatment and had his symptoms controlled. Considering that the tumor might continue to grow, his doctor in Hong Kong further referred him to a renowned cancer hospital in the US.

Without any hesitation, Mr. and Mrs. Cao went to the renowned cancer center in the US, where he received three-month treatments and had his symptoms controlled. 

However, after returning to China, they found from the examination that the tumor grew bigger. Upon hearing that, his wife suggested they should make another trip to the US, where she believed that the service and treatment were the best. However, Mr. Cao thought otherwise.

It occurred to him that Prof. Shen, a warm-hearted Chinese American doctor, once mentioned to him his tutor Prof. Xu Kecheng, Chief President of Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital. Mr. Cao called Porf. Shen and told him about his condition. Prof. Shen suggested again that Mr. Cao go to Guangzhou to see Prof. Xu Kecheng as soon as possible.

Mr. Cao said, “Along the way, I have been through what other cancer patients had been through. I feel desperate last minute and sometimes full of hope next minute. I don’t know how many sleepless nights I had, but I do know, during those nights, that my wife had always been with me, encouraging and supporting me to face up to the disease.”

During the interview, Mr. Cao's wife, calm and seemingly strong, burst into tears when asked about her husband, "when they first found an egg-sized mass in my husband adrenal gland, I could hardly believe it. We maintain a healthy diet and we work out regularly. Half month after the surgery, the mass was confirmed to be malignant. It was such a strike on us and we decided to keep it from our daughter since she was in labor. The second test results, which were even worse, plunged us into deeper darkness, and we felt that world around us is crumbling. We cried that night. But when we saw the sunrise the next morning, we saw hope". She wiped tears from her eyes, continued," I am very emotional and I’m not strong, but his illness made me strong, because I believe we still have a long way to go and we have many days to look forward to, regardless of what the future unfolds for us, that’s for sure". In the eyes of the wife, her stricken husband became “grumpy and stubborn", like a boy, but she loved him as always.

Being spoiled by his beloved wife, Mr. Cao managed to gain some strength back, "My wife always tries to cheer me up. She said to me, 'it is a long hideous way, don’t give up and we will make it through the storm. We have places to be and things to see, you might lose everything, but you still have me’". She had planned to retire to help her daughter with her children, but now she has a ‘big kid’ to take care of. She has to accompany him travelling around the world for medical treatment. Facing the camera, Mr. Cao said, "I know she is not suffering less than I do, probably endures more pain than I do, but she never said anything, and she did everything! I am deeply grateful to her and I feel I’m in her debt. "

Before came to Fuda Cancer Hospital, Mr. Cao didn’t have even the slightest knowledge of this hospital. After investigation, he decided to try Fuda. Mr. Cao said, "At first glance, I felt Prof Xu is a man with wisdom who always carries amiable smile". On April 2, after reviewed his medical reports, Prof. Xu explained to him in a professional manner, setting out his ideas of treatment. “That was the moment I knew this is the hospital and doctor I have long been looking for, I'm full of confidence, I believe I will defeat cancer”!

Mrs. Cao objected on hearing his husband’s decision to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital for treatment. She, like many others, held skepticism towards private hospitals in China. When they first came to Guangzhou, they didn’t get themselves admitted to the hospital, but stayed at a nearby hotel for three days and paid repeated visits to the hospital. Mr. Cao's wife recalled, "We ran into Prof. Xu Kecheng at the first visit, and I asked if he is Prof. Xu. He calmly introduced himself. We were later suggested that we get admitted first and he assured me that they would see from there what they can do for my husband. When the treatment plan was made, Dr. Niu had the operation for my husband and his situation was improved. That’s when I laid down my prejudice for this hospital and started to believe we might be able to make it here with the help of Fuda". She felt embarrassed on the perceptions she had on Fuda.

After hospitalized at Fuda for one month, Mr. Cao had his condition improved gradually. He said, “He is having deeper understanding of Fuda”. From the perspective of a cancer patient, he believed that Fuda has the following advantages:

1. Academic leaders, including Chief President Xu Kecheng, Dr. Niu Lizhi, Prof. Chen Jibing, etc., have advanced treatment concept and cutting-edge professionalism. It is their unremitting endeavor and refinement that have made the hospital full of academic atmosphere and delivered sophisticated skills to cancer patients. 

Mr. Cao and Prof. Niu Lizhi

Dr. Chen Jibing explained to Mr. Cao the treatment plan

2. Strong collaboration. Upon admission, multidisciplinary case consultation will be held to make individualized treatment plan for patients according to their specific condition. Multidisciplinary case consultation could lead to more accurate understanding of patient condition and more scientific treatment plan, which will bring more hope for rehabilitation.

3. High nursing care level. From the first day of hospitalization, medical staffs have been delivering dedicated services to patients. All caregivers address patients as uncles or aunties instead of the admission number; doctors without the white gown and patients without hospital gowns have meals together in the canteen; doctors always say hello to patients whenever they encounter each other in the corridor; all these have made patients feel that they are having an equal relationship with doctors. At the same time, the high level of nursing care delivered by hospitals is making patients feel at ease and assured.

Mr. and Mrs. Cao give a thumb-up to the nursing care team in the 5th ward

4. No undertable transaction. Doctors at Fuda never accept kickbacks or invitations to dinners by patients even if they are the expressions of the appreciation and respect from patients. High working ethics and excellent medical skills have avoided much medical conflicts but win more trust, understanding and respect from patients.

In the afternoon of May 23, Mr. Cao said happily, “My current session of treatment at Fuda will come to an end. Now, I feel great and am going to be discharged tomorrow morning. The MRI has shown that the large part of the tumor has become necrotic and moreover the indicators of my immune system are becoming normal again. My doctors advise me to do regular checkups here. I believe that the assessment of the comprehensive treatment will also be good. ”

He believed that he should hold the concept of living with cancer in the following rehabilitation period. A positive mentality is the key to everything. His fast paced and heavy pressure working state has lowered his auto-immune system. Since illness, his weight has reduced from 90kg to 67.5kg. He said, “I will not only change my way of working but also way of living. I will see the two sides of a coin in a positive way. I believe that I can live with cancer and have a good rehabilitation.”

Looking back to his cancer treatment experience over the past one year, Mr. Cao said, “I’m more thankful even though there are tears along the journey.”

He said on camera, “I would like to thank professors in Shanghai, Hong Kong and America for their careful treatment. My thanks also go to all medical staffs at FUDA, including Prof. Xu Kecheng, Dr. Niu Lizhi, Dr. Chen Jibing. Without their meticulous care and treatment, I would not be able to recover so well.”

At the same time, he also extended his appreciation to his teachers, classmates, friends and families for their care and support. In the end, he thanked his wife, saying, “Since my illness, she has been there for me all the time. I would like to tell my colleagues, friends and families that I will keep myself strong and get back to you as soon as possible. I want to see my granddaughter grow up and spend the rest of my life with my lovely wife.”

Mr. Cao said what he really wanted to do is thank those who have extended care and support to him since his illness. He said in front of the lens, “I love you guys!”