"A few days after the particle implantation, the tumor on my right cheek was significantly reduced in size, I was shocked by such an effect, and I am very satisfied with this treatment!" Just after entering Ms. Lau's room, she couldn't wait to share her treatment.

(Interview with Ms. Lau)

 
It’s a malignant tumor that doesn’t heal for a long time

Ms. Lau is a parotid cancer patient from Malaysia. She is optimistic and never thought that misfortune would befall her.

One day in 2017, Ms. Lau noticed a lump above her right cheek for the first time, and she didn't care. Unexpectedly, the lump was getting bigger and bigger, and she felt that something was wrong, so she went to the local hospital for an examination. The doctor told her that it was a benign tumor and gave her medication. Benign tumors can be cured by taking medicine, and the family was very happy with this result. However, things didn’t go for the better, and taking medication didn’t have a noticeable effect.

In October 2019, Ms. Lau traveled to Taiwan for a thorough examination. During this examination, she underwent a surgical procedure called right total parotid gland resection, which revealed that she had adenoid cystic carcinoma - a type of malignant tumor. Despite being diagnosed with cancer for over a year, Ms. Lau was mentally prepared for the worst and accepted her next treatment with a strong determination. 

She endured the pain caused by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, hoping that she could carry it and become the lucky one. But the reality is cruel, in September 2020, her tumor recurred, and she felt swelling on the right side of her face, and the examination results found that the lump in her right ear was about 2.3x2.2cm, and the lymph node in her right neck was about 0.8X0.4cm. The doctor told her that she could only receive electrotherapy now. Electrotherapy is one of the traditional cancer treatments, and the process is very painful, with headaches, nausea, and vomiting being common complications, and even memory loss. She rejected this treatment and actively sought other treatments. She was convinced that she could find a treatment that worked for her.

After receiving medical treatment abroad, she was able to reclaim her life

"I want to receive advanced treatments that will alleviate the pain caused by my illness. Actually, in 2019, I learned about St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou, where my sister-in-law (breast cancer) was treated and has been living a healthy life for six years," said Ms. Lau. I wanted to come at that time, but the result given by our local doctor was benign, and we could just stay in the local area for treatment. When I learned that it was a malignant tumor, the  pandemic broke out, and I couldn't go out of the country. "The planned trip to seek medical treatment abroad failed, the road to seek medical treatment is very difficult, fortunately, Ms. Lau has never given up!

【Comparison of before and after particles implantation】

In 2023, the epidemic situation improved, and China also opened its doors, Ms. Lau decisively chose to go abroad for treatment. In April 2023, Ms. Lau came to St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou, where she underwent a comprehensive examination and found that she had parotid gland cancer and lung metastasis. At present, Ms. Lau has received minimally invasive interventional therapy and particle implantation in the hospital.

Ms. Lau said, "The tumor has metastasized, which means that the treatment is more difficult, and the hope of the tumor being controlled is much harder. But, I am very confident now. Look at my right cheek, after the particles, the tumor has shrunk in a few days, and now it can't be seen on the surface, which is a great surprise to me. Moreover, during the whole treatment, I didn't have any great discomfort, just a slightly poorer appetite, which is negligible. I am very confident about the treatment here."

For most people, particles implantation is an unfamiliar term. What is particles implantation? Particles implantation is currently a relatively effective way to treat tumors, the full name is radioactive particle implantation, that is, under the guidance of CT or B-ultrasound, radiotherapy particles are implanted into the tumor to achieve the effect of simultaneous radiotherapy. This technology is one of the best treatment modes for advanced tumors due to its simple operation, safety, minimally invasive and low complication rate. The effect of particle therapy is obviously very motivating for cancer patients and plays a positive role in maintaining their optimistic attitude. 

【Particle implantation therapy】

Have faith and be positive

Currently, Ms. Lau is about to be discharged from the hospital, she said, "Now I know that my parotid tumor has shrunk and the lung tumor hasn't changed much yet. After discussing with my doctor, I expect that I will need to receive particle therapy for my lungs the next time I come over. The doctor told me that tumor treatment is a long process, but I have the confidence to persevere, you can see that I am now healthy and "living with cancer", and have no problem living as a normal person." She said, "I am grateful to St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital, especially because the doctors will discuss the treatment plan with me every time I have a treatment, formulate the treatment plan according to my situation, and communicate with me in detail about any details, instead of blindly following their methods, I feel that I have been respected. I know my condition clearly and I can face it more frankly. I am grateful to this Hospital, where the medical staff takes care of me, encourages me, accompanies me, and supports me. It makes me feel warm and gives me more confidence in my treatment!"

The road to fighting cancer has never been easy, and we sincerely hope that every cancer patient can be like Ms. Lau, although they have experienced ups and downs, they can eventually "living with cancer" and continue to live a high-quality life.