"A welfare policy in Canada is that the government will provide care for the dying, and often there were nurses coming to my care, but six months later, they will no longer serve me, because I am not a dying patient any more, I am very happy! ” Talking about changes after treatment in China, Vera, a Canadian synovial sarcoma patient, told us excitedly.

Vera, 71 years old this year, is a synovial sarcoma patient. Two years ago, she had a relapse, and her local doctors were helpless in the face of a cancer that was constantly bleeding and growing. However, as a mother, the sense of responsibility and the desire to survive inside helped Vera live strong. Instead, she chose to treat cancer in China, the choice of minimally invasive technology, which featuring small trauma, small side effects and good efficacy, eventually proved right and saved her life.

Vera

Tumor is like chive, an endless process of being removed and growing back

She is 71 years old now and there’s a soybean-liked lump occurred on her left neck when she was 40. She didn’t pay attention to it due to being engaged in work and her family. 12 years later, the lump enlarged and she was diagnosed as left neck synovial sarcoma stage II. According to the local doctors’ advice, she underwent surgery, removing early malignant tumor.While she suffered from 4 recurrences and 3 surgical removals in later 18 years. Until the 4th surgery, as big as a cabbage, the tumor broke and bled. She even fainted once due to hypotension caused by excessive loss of blood. “I passed out and hit the ground; my forehead broke and received 12 stitches. However, when I woke up, finding out there was blood all over the floor and it looked like a crime scene”, according to her description. Doctors had no choice but to say “sorry, there’s no other treatment left.”

Vera and medical staff

Vera has 4 children. Her husband unfortunately died of colon cancer in her 50. Facing the cruel reality, she had no choice but to figure out the solution to deal with the plight ahead, rather than immerse in sorrow. Afterwards, she got to know St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou online and the consultant told her: “We provide 18 methods of minimally invasive treatment for cancer.”

Comprehensive minimally invasive treatment promptly got the tumor under control

When arriving at St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou, Vera was in rather weak condition. On one hand, the tumor had grown to 12cm*10cm, accompanying with bleeding. On the other hand, she also had severe symptoms of low protein, anemia and stagger. Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) in the hospital immediately held a meeting and discussed on Vera’s case. Back then she has progressed to middle and advanced stage with lymph node metastasis. There was no operation indication, moreover, rupture hemorrhage would occur at any time, which was life-threatening. To control the symptom of hemorrhage, The Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) resolutely decided to apply interventional therapy to Vera.

Interventional therapy is a minimally invasive therapy performed under the guidance of medical imaging equipment. Put a special tube into the body through which injects strong anticancer drugs into the tumor location and cut off the tumor’s blood supply and cause cancer cells to death. Anti-cancer drugs are highly concentrated so that it cause small side effects.

Besides interventional therapy, microwave ablation and particle implantation were applied to Vera, except for a little heat during microwave ablation, she suffered no other discomfort from the treatments.

According to Director Ma Xiaoying, after minimally invasive therapies, hemorrhage had been controlled, and the tumor greatly shrunk. Index of hemoglobin and albumin also got back to normal.

In March 2018, this was the fifth time Vera came to St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou. So far, she has received 6 cycles of interventional therapy, 3 cycles of microwave ablation and 2 cycles of particle implantation. Till now, her neck tumor has shrank by 90%, her weight has risen by 10 pounds and her life returned to normal. Above all, she can continue to fulfill her role as a mother.

“The Canadian doctor told me that I was too old to be treated. But I have never heard that here. I am very grateful to the doctors, nurses and translators here, especially to Dr. Wang. He often pats my shoulders to show encouragement and makes me feel that everything will be okay. And I feel everything is gonna be fine and hopeful in the future. Last time I returned to Canada, my family and doctors were very surprised at the tremendous changes in my neck tumor!” Vera told us excitedly.

*Surgery, in addition to the appropriate chemotherapy and radiotherapy, are effective in treating early cancer, but certain patients in late stage of cancer may not be tolerate surgery well as they can be relatively weak. A combination of carefully planned minimally invasive therapy, chemotherapy or radiotherapy can effectively reduce the side effects and discomfort of treatment and may help patient get better efficacy.