Ninth Year of Success in the Fight Against Cancer, a Return Visit to the Hospital That Gave Him Life Again

In November 2014, Anne, a patient from Surabaya, Indonesia, went to St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou to receive minimally invasive interventional therapy for stage IV nasopharyngeal cancer. In November 2023, the 9th year after the treatment, she returned to the hospital with her anti-cancer results to participate in the "The Come-home Gala of Anti-cancer Stars" event organised by our hospital under the theme of "In Long Years of Fighting Cancer, Feeling Warm in Modern Cancer Hospital".

(Anne in our hospital's event)

After so many years, she was happy to return to the place that had helped her beat the disease. Many people are afraid to talk about cancer, but for Annie, her treatment at our hospital went better than expected.

"At first, the doctor said that I needed 4 interventions because I had stage IV nasopharyngeal cancer. But when I had 2 interventions, the CT results showed that the tumor had almost disappeared. The effect was especially obvious and I was very happy. I didn't expect the results to be better than expected." Annie said happily.

When asked if she had any concerns before she decided to come to our hospital, Anne said that she had been worried about the language and diet before she came here. However, after she was admitted, she found that there were professional translators on site who were present throughout her admission, examination, and treatment. The translator accompanied her throughout the process without any communication barriers, so she felt that she was given a lot of attention. As for the food, she was able to cook it herself in the small kitchen. There are also many delicious restaurants close to the hospital. At the same time, patients can enter and leave the hospital freely with the doctor's permission. "I am pleased during my treatment here. I feel like I am not undergoing treatment, but traveling." Anne said cheerfully.

（Anne and her attending doctor Doc. Hu）

Anne participates in the "The Come-home Gala of Anti-cancer Stars" event organized by St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou under the theme of "In Long Years of Fighting Cancer, Feeling Warm in Modern Cancer Hospital". She hoped to use her personal experience to encourage more patients to choose the right treatment method. she advises patients to develop a firm determination in the fight against cancer, maintain an optimistic attitude toward life, believe in themselves, and follow the doctor's instructions. " The 18 major anti-cancer technologies of St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou are very advanced. Its minimally invasive treatment concept and MDT multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment model can help patients overcome the disease to the greatest extent. I hope that my experience can help everyone to avoid detours on the way to fighting cancer and to achieve success in fighting cancer as quickly as possible. "

So what was Annie's journey against cancer like? Taste the life of others and continue to write your own story. Let’s feel the spirit of Annie's fight against cancer together.

Tinnitus and blocked nostrils? She was diagnosed as stage 3 nasopharyngeal cancer!

In September 2014, Anne experienced tinnitus, a blocked left nose, and other symptoms. At first, she thought it was just a cold, but after a long time these symptoms did not disappear, in the Indonesian E.N.T. Department, the doctor also told her that it was nothing serious, but gave her a simple vitamin.

She thought it was a small incident in life, but it's only just begun!

(Anne during treatment in 2014)

Soon after, Anne had the feeling that both nostrils were blocked and she found it increasingly difficult to breathe. The tinnitus seriously interferes with her normal work and life, especially on quiet, late nights. It feels as if bells are ringing in her ears, making it difficult for her to fall asleep. Even more frightening, Anne also found a hard lump behind her ear. These bad omens made her realize the seriousness of the situation.

However, the most worrying thing happened: at the hospital in Indonesia, Anne was diagnosed with stage III nasopharyngeal cancer through physical examination!

This terrible news caused Anne to collapse at first. She even had doubts about the authenticity of the test results. However, when she received the same test results in different hospitals, Anne, who is optimistic by nature, decided to accept this fact and said: "For the sake of my family, I can’t give up treatment!” Anne comforted herself and prayed while actively seeking cancer treatment.

Going abroad for treatment of nasopharyngeal cancer: I refuse systemic chemoradiotherapy

Accompanied by her husband, Anne searched all the cancer clinics in Indonesia, but they were disappointed: almost all the doctors recommended that she undergo radiotherapy and chemotherapy immediately. When Anne learned that systemic chemotherapy can cause side effects such as vomiting, hair loss, and physical weakness, she and her husband resolutely refused.

Fortunately, Anne's husband found out about St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou through the Internet. Based on the information on the website, Anne and her husband immediately visited the hospital's office in Jakarta. "There were professional oncologists there who offered me a free cancer consultation. After learning about the cost and technology of treatment in Guangzhou, my family and I decided to go abroad for cancer treatment," said Anne.

In November 2014, Anne went to hospital for the first time accompanied by her family. The results of the physical examination shocked her and her family: in less than 2 months, Anne's condition had deteriorated from stage III nasopharyngeal cancer to stage IV nasopharyngeal cancer.

Interventional therapy saved me from the pain of chemoradiation

According to Anne's condition, St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou immediately convened a meeting of oncologists from more than 10 departments such as imaging, interventional, and oncology, and finally decided to adopt minimally invasive interventional therapy for Anne.

"I underwent the first interventional therapy three days after being admitted to the hospital. Unlike the surgery in Indonesia, the interventional therapy lasted about an hour and ended. Moreover, local anesthesia was used during the treatment, so I was very awake and could even feel the medicine slowly entering my body from my thighs. I did not experience any uncomfortable symptoms during the process. "Asked about the process of interventional therapy, Anne replied excitedly.

A loving couple

Miraculously, after the first interventional therapy, Annie's symptoms of tinnitus and nasal congestion disappeared immediately. The originally hard lump began to become soft and shrink significantly. This made Annie, who was originally nervous and desperate, feel relieved. By the time of the second interventional therapy, Anne was no longer nervous and afraid, but quietly cooperated with the treatment and waited with joy for the final treatment results.

Of course, the result did not disappoint Anne and her family. In January 2015, after Annie had her second interventional therapy, a CT scan showed that her tumor cells had lost their activity and she only needed to return to the hospital for regular check-ups. "At that time, all my symptoms of nasal congestion and tinnitus disappeared, and I could hardly feel the lump behind my ear." Anne happily said.

Regular review gives me a boost of confidence

In August 2017, when Anne learned the results of her physical examination from her attending doctor, she and her family were very happy: Anne's tumors behind her ears and nasopharynx had disappeared on a CT scan, without any signs of recurrence. Three years have passed, and Anne is now in stable condition and good physical condition. People would never guess that three years ago she was a stage four nasopharyngeal cancer patient suffering from cancer.