09628389559
Weight loss of 20 kg after radiotherapy and chemotherapy
Didn't prevent breast cancer from coming back
My name is Elisabeth, I am 44 years old and I come from the Dutch Caribbean. In April 2022, I accidentally felt a lump in my left breast, which became more and more painful, and was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in my left breast at the local hospital. At the local hospital, I had a lot of chemotherapy, but the effect was not significant.
In local hospitals in the Netherlands, there are only traditional anti-cancer methods such as intravenous chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy. On the doctor's advice, I underwent breast-conserving surgery and chemotherapy for breast cancer. For more than a year, I was tortured by the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy to the point where I couldn't eat. I lost more than 20 kilograms in weight, and my appearance changed drastically. The doctor told me that the tumor had been removed and I was very happy.
（A recent photo of me）
However, in September 2023, a cyst suddenly grew at the incision of my left breast surgery, and it was painful when I pressed it. The results of PET-CT showed that the breast cancer recurred and invaded the chest wall after surgery, accompanied by lymph node metastasis. The doctor told me apologetically that there was no treatment suitable for me in Dutch hospitals.
Pain gradually reduced after Interventional treatment
Weight increased from 48 kg to 52 kg
As time went on, I became more and more desperate and started searching on the Internet for alternative treatments for triple-negative breast cancer, and St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou caught my attention. I learned that many patients had been in my hopeless situation but survived with minimally invasive treatments. This is exactly what my heart desires: I want to survive, and I want a better quality of life!
So, I consulted the staff online and made an appointment for a remote consultation. During the consultation, Director Ma said to me: "The hospital can help you. There are many minimally invasive treatments suitable for you. If a certain treatment is not effective, we can try others." These words gave me great encouragement and strength. My husband and I decided to come to China for treatment.
In November 2023, we arrived at the hospital. After a detailed physical examination, the hospital's MDT formulated a treatment plan for me that included interventional therapy and natural therapy. I felt relaxed when I had interventional treatment for the first time, and the whole process only lasted an hour.
Interventional therapy is to infuse anti-cancer drugs into the tumor site through a 2mm incision under the guidance of imaging equipment. The drug concentration is 8-10 times higher than systemic chemotherapy drugs and does not harm normal cells. After finishing, I felt a little weak, but there were no side effects such as nausea or vomiting. It was getting late at that time, and I even ate my dinner directly.
As my husband recalls, I used to be in a very poor state after chemotherapy and was bedridden for several days. But now, my daily life is as usual, which makes him feel relieved. So far, I have received three interventional treatments. As the course of treatment progresses, the pain in my left chest is decreasing day by day, my appetite has improved, and my weight has increased from 48 to 52 kilograms.
Later, I had a CT examination. After the results came out, the attending doctor, Dr. Zhai, happily said to us: "The tumor continues to shrink and is effectively controlled. Your body parameters have also returned to normal. This shows that the treatment is very successful!" We are very happy and feel that the transnational treatment has achieved satisfactory results.
Five hours' walk proves improvement
They are the light in my fight against cancer
After being admitted to the hospital, I observed that patients are always regarded as the center of the hospital, and the medical staff care for the patients in every possible way.
One day, I found that my hair had grown so fast that it covered my eyes, and I needed a haircut urgently. I told the head nurse what I needed, and she immediately brought me hair-cutting tools and gave me a haircut. In local clinics and hospitals in the Netherlands, these humane services will not be provided. They will always say, "You have to deal with it yourself."
After I got better, Dr. Zhai told me to walk more and exercise, so I participated in the hospital's tour activities. That day, we arrived at Yongqingfang and Yuexiu Park. From 12 noon to 5 pm, we walked while looking at the scenery, and we walked for 5 hours without realizing it. I persisted, which proved that my health had improved, and my husband gave me a thumbs up!
My husband and I met through family members. After chatting online for a year, we fell in love and later got married successfully and had two sons. For more than ten years, he has always been considerate to me. Suffering from cancer is a double test for the patient and the family, but his love and patience for me have never changed.
*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.
