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.

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!”

Clemencia Aguinaldo’s story

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”. Clemencia 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.

Laureate of Rank Prize commented that you can entrust your life to Fuda Cancer Hospital

On March 24, 2016, Ms. Lu Mingying, a renowned scientist and Rank Prize laureate was discharged from hospital after receiving comprehensive treatment at Fuda Cancer Hospital for two months. One day before discharge, she put on her scarf and, to express her joy and appreciation, she said good-bye to doctors and nurses who had been taking care of her express “It is the doctors at FUDA that have saved me from the verge of death.” 
 

Xu Kecheng, Chief President of Fuda Cancer Hospital and Ms. Lu Mingying

 

Ms. Lu Mingying and nurses of the 4th ward

One week before her discharge, we visited her. During the interview, she worn the same red scarf. “This is a present from a friend of mine cause wearing red makes me look more radiant.” She felt much betteras she just stooped her oral chemotherapy medicine on that day. She shared with us her experience of studying in UK, her Rank Prize winning stories and her journey of fighting against cancer.

The influence of her father  

Lu Mingying was born in a scholarly family in 1954. Her father Lu Zhongzuo, the founder of vacuum electronic devices major in China, had long engaged in the research of microwave tube and wrote the first batch of textbooks and monographs on microwave electronics in China. “Being raised in such an environment, I developed a keen interest in mathematics, physics and optoelectronics since I was a little child.”she said. Unfortunately, she had to suspend her schooling as the Great Cultural Revolution broke out when she was just enrolled into middle school. Two years later, she resumed her schooling in a nearby middle school. In 1970, Lu Mingying, who just turned to 16, was assigned to a small factory and worked there for seven years.

Lu Mingqi, Lu Ming’s elder sister, noted, “Before the college entrance examination system was resumed in China, my sister had never quit learning. She worked during the day and studied at night”. It was with her persistence that she made her way into the Department of Electronic Engineering of Nanjing Institute of Technology (currently Southeast University) in 1977.  

Lu Mingying (R) and her elder sister Lu Mingqi

In university, Lu Mingying met her life partner - Wang Guoyu, her classmate. In her memory, they spent most of time doing research in the lab instead of going dating. Upon graduation from university, Lu Mingying was accepted into the postgraduate program of Southeast University while Wang Guoyu was accepted into the postgraduate program of Tsinghua University. They got married after finished their master degree. In 1984, they had their fist child. Later, Lu Mingying served as a lecturer in Southeast University while her husband also chose to work as lecturer in the same university.

Studying in England 

In the end of 1980s, digital camera was very expensive and it cost thousands of dollars to buy one. The main reason was that the imaging sensor of digital camera was very costly. Even researchers in Japan, Europe and America were not able to tackle the difficult problem.

Wang Guoyu and Lu Mingying, who were then studied in the University of Edinburgh, were enrolled into an experimental group in 1987 and 1989 respectively. They joined two professors of the University of Edinburgh with a clear purpose, that was to develop new imaging sensors. They put forward a bold proposal, which was whether common semiconductor integrated circuit can be applied to imaging sensor as it can greatly reduce the cost of imaging sensor.

After years of unremitting efforts, they successfully applied common semiconductor integrated circuit into imaging sensor. The technological innovation has brought about great changes. The cost of imaging sensor reduced by one third; imaging sensor can be mass produced; the price of digital camera fell from several thousands dollars to around 10 USD. In 2002, the technology began to be applied to Nokia mobile phones and widely has been applied to mobile phones since then. Mobile phone photographing has become an easy thing. It has turned from a luxury to popular consumable goods. “The 50million chips for mobile phone photographing produced every day are using our technology.” Lu Mingying said proudly.

A surprising award

The application of common semiconductor integrated circuit in imaging sensors is an epoch-making shift in the industry of digital camera. The four researchers including Lu Mingying were awarded the Rank Prize in 2008.

Established in 1972, the Rank Prize is one of the top science awards in England in recognition of researchers who have made tremendous contribution to the fields of optoelectronic science and nutriology. It is reputed as the Nobel Prize in the fields of optoelectronic science and nutriology. As of now, only a few Chinese, including Charles Kao, the Father of Fiber Optic Communications and Yuan Longping, the Father of Hybrid Rice, have won the Rank Prize.

“It’s really surprising”, Lu Mingying said when she delivered her acceptance speech. It turned out that in March 2007, Lu Mingying received a letter, asking if she would like to participate in the selection of the Rank Prize. “The scientific research achievement was made over 10 years ago. We almost forget about it.” The couple felt that it must be someone who was playing tricks with them so they did not pay any attention to it. Shortly after that, Lu Mingying received a letter from her previous supervisor, asking if she had received an invitation letter for the selection of the Rank Prize. It was until then did the couple realized that it was not a trick.

“I was so surprised and excited”, said Lu Mingying. They had invested so much time and efforts in order to overcome the technical difficulty. It was really a surprise for them to finally get the recognition after over 10 years. 

Facing up to the devil of cancer

In December, 2015, Lu Mingying started to feeling unwell and often had lower abdomen pain. She had thought it was just urinary system infection and took a lot of antibiotics but the symptoms showed no remission. In December, she come to China for an academic conference. Her husband insisted that she should do a  physical examination. Ultrasound result showed that there was a tumor sizing 7x8cm in liver. The doctor said that she was at advanced stage and an immediate CT scan was suggested. Further examinations proved that she was suffering from cholangiocarcinoma with metastases in bones, lymph nodes and abdominal cavity.

“It was the first time I’ve heard of this term and I had no idea what it is exactly. I searched on the Internet and learned that cholangiocarcinoma cannot be easily treated.” In the face of the unexpected disease, Lu Mingying did nor show extreme sadness and despair as other cancer patients. She did not She was so emotionally peaceful when she was telling us her story.

Some doctors suggested her to do radiotherapy and chemotherapy first but she declined. She kept on looking for new and mini-invasive treatments on the internet. One day, she accidentally read a piece of news, saying that cholangiocarcinoma can be treated with NanoKnife. “I saw a light of hope after I read the news”. At first, she chose to go back to England for treatment. She consulted a renowned Nanoknife specialist from the Medical School of Imperial College London. However, it would take long time waiting for NanoKnife in England. She chose to go back to China for NanoKnife for fear that her condition would progress. 

Getting to know FUDA by virtue of NanoKnife  
  
Lu Mingying set her mind on the new technology of NanoKnife. She searched about NanoKnife on the Internet and finally traced down to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital. After learned that FUDA had completed over 70 cases of NanoKnife, she decided to come to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital for treatment. 

Her sister said, “Before we come to FUDA, I went all the way to a major hospital in Xi’an cause I read from a newspaper that the hospital has completed successful cases of NanoKnife. I even consulted a specialist about my sister’s case but the specialist said the tumor was too big to be ablated. ”

In January 13, 2016, Lu Mingying was admitted into Fuda Cancer Hospital. Due to rapid disease progression, she was too weak to walk upon admission and she had ascites and fever. “From the first day that I was admitted into the hospital, I have had the feeling that it was right for me to choose FUDA. All medical staffs, from the president to doctors and nurses have been very nice to me. On the second day of my admission, Xu Kecheng, the Chief President of FUDA, Niu Lizhi, the Executive President of FUDA and other experts made rounds and they gave me a lot of encouragement. I felt assured. I’mconvinced that I could entrust my life to FUDA. If FUDA cannot do any treatment for me, I won’t be treated in anywhere else.”

In the following days, Lu Mingying received comprehensive treatments, including photodynamic therapy, NanoKnife, iodine seeds implantation therapy, etc. “It is the doctors at FUDA that have saved me from the verge of death.” Lu Mingying said. 

After two months’ treatments, she has built up more and more confidence in FUDA. Where does the confidence come from? First of all, it comes from the excellent skills of the doctors. They have been very patient in explaining to me the upcoming treatment and I’m very clear about the possible side effects; secondly, it comes from the “green therapy” offered by FUDA. The green therapy, or minimally invasive treatment, has inflicted no pain, which accords with my concept of treatment; thirdly, the confidence comes from the humanitarian service provided by FUDA. Doctors, nurses and cleaners always greet patients with smile. I have been feeling very comfortable for the last two months.

“One of my supervisors died of brain cancer. I thought how nice it would be if he had been treated at FUDA. That’s why I want to share my treatment experience and feelings with other patients so that more patients can get to know FUDA and gain survival benefits here. ”

Rus’s story Kidney cancer with bone metastasis-Philippines

One year ago, at a seminar in Manila, Philippines, a fifty-year-old lady suddenly came to Prof. Xu Kecheng, her face was familiar, but Prof. Xu could not recall which kind of cancer she had(Figure 9). She said, “Professor Xu, you are my great benefactor, do you think that I am still sick?” I recognized that she was a patient with metastatic renal carcinoma, her name was Rus. Five years ago she had surgery. Three years ago, the patient came to our hospital with bone metastasis. For this kind of progressive renal cancer, chemotherapy and radiotherapy do not work at all. There are ten reports showing that patients with a 5-year survival rate vary from 0-13%. Prof. Xu treated her with Combined Immunotherapy for Cancer (CIC), which she unexpectedly greatly benefited from. Prof. Xu read her latest CT films done in the Philippines and no lesions could be seen. She gave Prof. Xu  two beer bottles with flowers that she herself had painted on as gifts. According to her family's custom, these flowers on beer bottle represent their cordial respects and gratitude. She was afraid Prof. Xu would not accept them, saying that she was too poor to send him valuables, she also did not dare send him valuables as she knew there is a rule in our hospital that all staffs are not allowed to accept gifts from patients. These were not valuables, but a token of her regards, so Prof. Xu accepted. Although Prof. Xu cannot fully understand the true meaning of the painting, he brought back these two beer bottles and put them on the bookcase in his office where he can see them everyday.

On November 19, 2011, the vice president Mr. Binay made an appointment with Prof. Xu in Manila. Mrs. Rus heard that Mr. Binay wanted to meet Prof. Xu, she came to the hotel that he stayed in early that morning, following Prof. Xu to go to the Vice Presidential Palace. Mr. Binay was very excited after listening to Prof. Xu’s presentation and had his photo taken with Mrs. Rus and her sister.

Several years have passed, Rus is still alive and healthy. Every time Professor Xu goes to the Philippines, she always accompanies him, and shares her anti-cancer experience with those cancer patients who still live in great misery.

 

Rus is sharing her personal anti-cancer experience with others

Vice President of the Philippines Binay received Ms. Rus(Left) and her younger sister

Rus is sharing her cancer rehabilitation experience as a volunteer of Fuda

Rus

Kidney cancer with bone metastases

Female, 58 years old, kidney cancer, nephrectomy with recurrent bone metastases.  After she received combined immunotherapy, the metastatic lesion disappeared. She has cancer-free survived for 6 years.

Treatment Experience

Those patients with metastatic kidney cancer who have undergone surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy have poor prognosis and their median survival period is less than one year. However, this patient has disease-free survived for 6 years, for which is closely related to immunotherapy.

Cancer cell is heterogeneous, which means cancer gene expression varies and it is very unstable during the differentiation. In other words, cancer cells change day by day. Immunotherapy shall be powerful and adaptable to fight cancer. The immunological measures used shall vary with cancer cells. 

Based on the above understanding, Fuda Cancer Hospital combine a variety of immunological measures, which is so-called combined immunotherapy (CIC), including CIK, DC, T cell transfusion therapy, cytokines injection and non-specific immunostimulating therapy. This would be like fighting a battle, the Army, Navy, Air Force, and even the police (immune cells and cytokines), intelligence agent (DC cells) are indispensable. For immune cells, it shall not only increase their number, but also take measures (non-specific therapy) to stimulate their enthusiasm, so that they dare to make a frontal attack on cancer cells. Of course, in some patients, before they receive one or more immunological measures, some special pre-tests shall be carried out to understand individual differences, on which personalized treatment will be made.

According to Rus’s specific condition, she was recommended to undergo CIC long-term non-specific immune therapy, focusing on mobilizing the initiative of innate anti-cancer ability to inhibit or even eliminate cancer cells (apoptosis), so she manage to obtain long-term survival. It is a great success, which can be called a miracle!

Treatment Team

Xu Kecheng   Professor

Chen Jibing    M.D.

Niu Lizhi    M.D.

Mu Feng    M.D.

Media Reports

Xu Kecheng: Follow Me to Fight Against Cancer，Beijing, People's Medical Publishing House

Videos

Combined Immunotherapy for Cancer

Ms. Xu's Story

On December 27, 2015, Madam Xu, a pancreatic cancer patient from Shanghai was discharged as her condition has improved after received meticulous treatment at FUDA. The daughter of Madam Xu said with great relief, “Seeing that my mom has improved both mentally and physically, I would like to express my deep appreciation to Dr. Niu Lizhi and Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital.”

President Xu visiting Madam Xu

In mid June, 2015, Madam Xu had intermittent dull pain in upper abdomen and aversion to greasy food. On June 30, she had yellowing in whole body skin and in sclera and was hospitalized in a local hospital. The impressions of CT scan were as follows: a space-occupying lesion about 3cmx2cm in size is detected in the neck of pancreas and is found to have invaded lower segment of common bile duct; intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile ducts dilation is detected; an abnormal  enhancing lesion is found in outer right lobe of liver. The attending doctor suggested operation but Madam Xu declined and just took traditional Chinese medicine for anti-cancer treatment. 

In October, Madam Xu had aggravated symptoms, including intermittent abdominal pain, vomiting after food intake, difficult defecation and etc. To seek further treatment, Madam Xu was hospitalized at Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital in the company of her family members on November 6.

A photo of Dr. Niu Lizhi and Madam Xu

After she was hospitalized into FUDA, Dr. Niu arranged whole-body examinations for her in no time. After learned that Madam Xu has nutrition risk as she had 15kg of body weight loss since her illness, the attending doctor prescribed nutrition support for her.

To further control tumor progression, the medical team decided to perform NanoKnife therapy for her. On November 10, the NanoKnife therapy medical team headed by Dr. Niu Lizhi performed irreversible electroporation (NanoKnife therapy) under the guidance of B ultrasound for Madam Xu as scheduled, two electron-probes were punctured into the tumor in the neck of pancreas for local ablation. The procedure went smoothly. The volume of bleeding was only 50ml during the procedure.

After the procedure, Madam Xu has had a good recovery. She has resumed her good spirit and appetite to some extent and she has also gained some weight. On December 10, the doctor attending to madam Xu arranged immuntherapy for her in order to boost her own anti-cancer immunity. Seeing that her mother’s condition had significant improvement, Madam Xu’s daughter was greatly relieved. She told the writer that they have came all the way from Shanghai to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital for NanoKnife therapy. “I learned on the Internet that Fuda Cancer Hospital has successfully carried out the first case of Nanoknife therapy for pancreatic cancer in mainland China”. That’s why I decided to bring my mother to FUDA and have a try. The treatment has delivered good curative effects exactly as we have expected.”

According to statistics, the NanoKnife therapy medial team led by Dr. Niu Lizhi has saved over 60 pancreatic cancer patients from the verge of death. We believe that more and more cancer patients will receive benefit from the latest technology in the future.

TIPS: Seven advantages of NanoKnife therapy

Dr. Niu Lizhi indicated that NanoKnife therapy is a safe and highly effective minimally-invasive technology for tumor treatment. Compared with other tumor treatment method, it has the following advantages:

1. Short ablation duration

For solid tumors about 3 cm in diameter, it requires just 90x100milisecond ultrashort pulses. One group of treatment takes less than one minute. Even if there are 3 to 4 overlapped ablation areas, the whole ablation duration will be less than 5 minutes.

2. Preserving important tissues such as vessels and nerves in ablated areas

Nanoknife therapy can protect important tissue structures in ablated areas. Important liver structures, such as hepatic artery, hepatic vein, portal vein and intrahepatic bile ducts can be well protected after being treated with Nanoknife therapy.

3. No heat island effect

Nanoknife System for tumor ablation uses electrical pulses to breakdown cell membrane. The procedure will neither generate energy nor be influenced by external temperature.
4. Thorough ablation with clear demarcation
IRE can perform thorough ablation to tumor regardless of its site, size and shape even if it’s tumors close to vessels or tumor with irregular shape or big size. Moreover, there is a demarcation between ablated area and non-ablated area; therefore, more precise judgment and evaluation can be made for the follow-up, effectiveness and treatment performance of Nanoknife Therapy. Moreover, NanoKnife therapy can exempt the possibility of tumor recurrence after treatment.

5. Ablated area will remain functional

Different from conventional ablation modes, Nanoknife therapy can promote cell death through immunity stimulation. Human body will identify cell apoptosis as normal cell death and then clean apoptotic tissue through cytophagy so as to promote the regeneration and repair of normal tissue.

6. Real time monitoring during treatment

Nanoknife Therapy can be navigated and monitored by ultrasound, CT or MRI. There is only few millimeters of difference in size between ablated areas monitored by ultrasound or CT and that measured in pathological analysis. The imaging can also clearly display unablated residual cancer cells, to which doctors can perform ablation again. Moreover, real time monitoring allows doctors to observe the changes in the surrounding tissues of ablated area and predict the possibility of complications so as to guarantee patient’s safety and quick postoperative recovery.

7. Nanoknife Therapy can be applied to more complicated conditions

As NanoKnife therapy inflicts no injury to such important tissues. It could deliver safe and effective treatment for the tumor which is close to big vessels, bile duct, pancreatic duct and hepatic portal vein, prostate cancer and cancer close to spine.

Mota and Mata's story

In 2009, a pair of sisters from America came to Fuda Cancer Hospital. They were diagnosed with breast cancer almost at the same time and both requested to receive breast-conserving treatment. They came to FUDA and received percutaneous cryoablation, which has achieved good treatment results. Later they came to our hospital for checkups. In 2013, doctors from FUDA paid them a follow-up visit in New York, America. They have been leading a happy life.

 President Xu Kecheng  and American breast cancer sisters

Treatment experience

Researches on follow-up visits to patients by several cancer centers showed that there is no obvious difference in total survival rate between patients received radical mastectomy, breast tumor resection and patients received breast tumor resection together with radiotherapy. Given this, doctors tend to adopt conservative methods in treating breast cancer. Cryoablation is most suitable to the following cases: patients with small and isolated invasive breast cancer; patient whose tumor is smaller than 15 mm with low density and clear dividing line on a mammogram and a visible posterior wall at ultrasonography; patients with small breast tumor which is unsuitable to or intolerant of surgery or chemotherapy.

As initial treatment to small breast cancer, cryoablation has advantages as follows: 
1. The curative effect of cryoablation can be compared with that of tumor resection;
2. Patient is tolerant of cryoablation, which inflicts no pain and requires no anesthesia (or just local anesthesia ); 
3. The procedure is simple, which can be compared to CT-guided biospsy; 
4. It leaves no scar and preserves the integrity of breast appearance. It doesn’t hurt skin even if tumor is close to it;
5. It is evidenced that cryoablation can induce anti-tumor immune reaction, which is evidently beneficial to the prevention of tumor recurrence. 

Cryoablation is becoming an important way for breast cancer treatment. With regard to early stage small breast tumor, percutaneous cryoablation can achieve similar curative effect as tumor resection. As a minimally invasive treatment, cryoablation does not affect breast appearance, which is superior to the latter.

The reason why the pair of sisters came all the way to Fuda Cancer Hospital was that they wanted to receive cryoablation. They also achieved ideal curative effectat FUDA.