Pancreatic Cancer Patient’s Life Being Rescued by Nanoknife Therapy at Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital

On 29th February 2016, sunshine drove away the gloomy and the dark. After having nanoknife (irreversible electroporation) therapy, Mr. Qiu was going to leave hospital with heat full of hope. Looking back on the eight months of fighting against carcinoma of pancreatic head, he was filled with emotion. When Xu Kecheng, chief president of Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital visited him, Mr. Qiu said sincerely: Thank you for making me not afraid of cancer anymore. I am confident to get back to health, because I receive correct treatment here.
 

Chief president Xu Kecheng (left) was visiting Mr. Qiu.


Mr. Qiu was thanking Doctor Shi Hongxia (middle).
 

Confront with carcinoma of pancreatic head
 

Mr. Qiu comes from Hong Kong. He is a 65-year old man with a pair gleaming eyes. He sat in front of me with a smile on his face. No one will think he is a cancer patient who has held on to fight against carcinoma of pancreatic head for 2800 days and nights.

Dr. Niu Lizhi, president of Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital said that carcinoma of pancreatic head is malignant tumor. Eight months ago, Mr. Qiu was overwhelmed with sadness by the diagnosis.

Mr. Qiu once worked for a grand theatre. He has a filial daughter. He should have enjoyed the happiness of family. Unfortunately, on July 2015, Mr. Qiu found himself becoming thin and losing 10 kilograms without cause while suffering from abdominal pain. Mr. Qiu didn’t pay attention on it. After two months, he had diarrhea three to five times a day on average. On 11th November, he went to local hospital for examination without company of family.

After examination, Mr. Qiu was diagnosed as carcinoma of pancreatic head. PET-CT shown that was a 6.5 cm * 4.4 cm lump. Mr. Qiu said, he was so sad and shocked for knowing that carcinoma of pancreatic head is hard to treat, which made him felt death was approaching him.

Doctor of Hong Kong thought it took big risks having whipple surgery (pancreas duodenectomy) and advised Mr. Qiu to take biliary stent and bypass surgery. But Mr. Qiu refused. After taking chemotherapy twice, abdomen MRI scan showed the lump on pancreatic head reduced to 4.6 cm *3.9 cm. However, after having chemotherapy, he developed red rushes, itching, myelosuppression and hair loss etc. Chemotherapy was so painful that Mr. Qiu was urgent to find a suitable treatment plan.

I found proper treatment here luckily.

“Fortunately, when I failed in seeking treatment, my daughter took part in the lecture delivered by Mufeng, vice president of Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital. She learnt about the most advanced ablation technique nanoknife therapy (irreversible electroporation) which can ablate targeted tumors and apply to pancreatic cancer. My intuition told me that Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital will be my savior.”

On 17th February, Mr. Qiu was admitted to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital with being diagnosed as cT4N1M0 stage Ⅲ of carcinoma of pancreatic head. Soon, president Niu made a rigorous treatment plan for Mr. Qiu. It’s irreversible electroporation (nanoknife therapy) for carcinoma of pancreatic head treatment. On 23rd February, the operation was conducted smoothly and patient’s blood loss was just 2ml.

For more understanding of Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital and the successful completion of nanoknife surgery, Mr. Qiu began to see hope. Remind of the period of having chemotherapy, I was often weak and tired at that time. But after nanoknife surgery, my psychological condition became better, and I became happier gradually. Mr. Qiu’s daughter said: “After nanoknife surgery, my father was better obviously. His psychological condition was improved. The confidence and encouragement of fighting against cancer were boosted.”

Mr. Qiu said, it’s unfortunate to have carcinoma of pancreatic head, but I was lucky to have advanced nanoknife therapy with good therapeutic effects in the fight against cancer. And he was said emotionally: “I sincerely appreciate Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital. Thanks Dr. Niu Lizhi for performing operation for me. I also want to thank Doctor Shi Hongxia and nurses. The medical condition and environment are satisfactory and comfortable.”

In the afternoon of 29th February, chief president Xu Kecheng, Doctor Shi Hongxia and other medical workers visited Mr. Chou for he was going to leave. He expressed his gratitude again: I will come to have re-examination. It’s you who teach me to never give up at any time.
 

Photo of Mr. Qiu (middle), President Niu Lizhi (No.3 from right) and treatment team

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.

Mo Xiaofeng's Story

Mo Xiaofeng is a 16-year-old girl from Shangkeng Village, Huaiji County, Guangdong Province. After one cycle of chemotherapy, Xiaofeng seemed to be okay except abdominal distension after meal and edema in ankles. Xiaofeng, a top student at school, often asked his father, “when can I go back to school?”

Her parents were very worried about Xiaofeng as there was a “bomb” that might explode at any time in her body. Her parents had been consoling her that she would recover and go back to school soon instead of telling her the diagnosis and the severity of the disease. They had been under huge mental pressure but had to pretend nothing happened.

Xiaofeng’s story can be traced back to March 2009 when she stumbled on a mass in middle to upper abdomen. According to biopsy, she was diagnosed with solid pseudopapillary neoplasm of the pancreas (SPN), a rare exocrine tumor of pancreas. It is known to all that pancreatic cancer is called the King of Cancer, let alone such a rare pancreatic tumor. The couple was hit by the blow of fate. Xiaofeng underwent operation.

 

In May 2014, Xiaofeng had such symptoms as abdominal distension, upper abdominal pain, edema in ankle and fever. These symptoms aggravated day by day. Xiaofeng’s father brought her to Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center for examination, which showed metastases were found as spleen enlarged significantly and multiple masses were found in liver.

Xiaofeng’s father brought her to Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital as the last resort in June 2014. Xiaofeng’s symptoms relieved significantly after she underwent interventional embolization, cryosurgery and chemoablation therapy.

 

While medical workers were making further treatment plan, Xiaofeng was discharged.

 

Doctor Huang Zhifeng, Xiaofeng’s chief doctor told Xiaofeng’s story to President Xu. He remembered that the 16-year-old girl had been addressing him “Grandpa Xu” and told him to strike a balance between work and life when he was making rounds every day. Xu Kecheng was wondered why she discharged against medical advice when it was the best time for treatment.

 

Xu Kecheng and Huang Zhifeng drove over 3 hours to see Xiaofeng in October 18. Xiaofeng’s home was located in a small hill of Shikeng Village. Xioafeng was teaching her two little brothers at home. Her mother rushed home from the fields to welcome him. It was until then did Xu Kecheng knew why Xiaofeng discharged against doctor’s medical advice.

Xiaofeng’s parents are diligent and honest farmers. They only have meager income from the crops and from odd jobs. There are elderly parents, five children in her family. Xiaofeng is the third children; her youngest brother was just enrolled into primary school and the eldest sister was in her third year in high school. Though Xiaofeng’s parents are farmers, they knew very well the importance of education. Hence, they have sent their children to school though they are not well-off. The five children have been very sensible, especially Xiaofeng. She studied very hard and kept among the ten top students in her grade every year.

Prof. Xu Kecheng(R1), Doctor Huang Zhifeng visited Mo Xiaofeng at her home(L3). Mo Xiaofeng’s father (L1) 

However, Mo Xiaofeng’s education was finished in 2009 when she was diagnosed with cancer. As her classmates were preparing for senior high school entrance examination, Xiaofeng had to stay in the hospital bed.

The parents were caught unprepared by Xiaofeng’s disease. They were under huge mental pressure as they were worried about her disease but had to pretend nothing happened. The financial burden had also become worse. The family’s already meager income could barely support their tuition fee and daily expenses, let alone Xiaofeng’s medical expenses. What should they do?

The couple had no way out but to reduce their daily expense to the minimum and borrow money from relatives in order to raise money for Xiaofeng’s operation. However, things did not work out. The things that they worried about the most finally happened five years later. Even if Fuda has reduced unnecessary treatments and examinations, the medical expenses still stood at 80,000RMB. The family had no way out but to bring Xiaofeng back home as they did not have enough money for her treatment. The family was reduced to despair again. As Xiaofeng knew nothing about her disease, she often asked her father when she could go back to school. His father just told her there was something wrong in her body but she would recover soon as he could not bear to tell her that she might never be able to go back to school again.

As her condition was deteriorating and her frequent visit to hospital, Xiaofeng finally learned her condition and she stopped asking father when she could go back to school.

Xu Kecheng was saddened to learn the news. It suddenly dawned on him that Xu Kecheng Health Care Studio that was established by Civilization Office of Tianhe District Committee in June 2014 has helped two impoverished cancer patients, namely Han Bingbing and Luo Caizhi. He wanted to make Mo Xiaofeng the third beneficiary of the studio. Though the tumor was located in pancreas, it was different from common pancreatic cancer as it has special features. If given appropriate treatment, Xiaofeng can coexist with tumor for a long time and gain a better quality of life.

 

Under such circumstances, Xu Kecheng called for the society to raise money for Mo Xiaofeng. Though a total of 30,000RMB was raised, it was still fall far short of the expected medical expenses that stood at 180,000RMB. 

Mo Xiaofeng was fetched back to Fuda Cancer Hospital in order not to delay her treatment. Xiaofeng’s tumor shrank after she underwent interventional therapy, argon-helium cryosurgery, and percutaneous ethanol injection therapy, Now, Xiaofeng can walk as a normal person. She has regained a new life with the help of Xu Kecheng and people from all walks of life.