Six Years of Arduous Anti-Cancer Journey: Doctor-Patient Mutual Trust Forges a Miracle

Six Years of Arduous Anti-Cancer Journey: Doctor-Patient Mutual Trust Forges a Miracle

Renowned medical authority Professor Qiu Fazu once said: "A patient's trust is the greatest recognition for a doctor. It is this trust that gives physicians and patients the courage to keep tackling successive challenges and overcoming diseases together." Birth, aging, illness, and death are the laws of nature; medicine itself is a struggle against these natural laws. Thus, failures and setbacks are inevitable. In such moments, both doctors and patients should approach this reality with sufficient rationality. We are all in the same trench—only when patients fully trust their doctors can the latter commit wholeheartedly to continuing the fight side by side.

Right among us is such a physician. Over six years of treatment, he forged profound mutual trust with his patient, fought cancer together, and created a miracle.

Mr. Zhang, a 56-year-old male, presented to our Second Department of Gastroenterologyin August 2017 due to abdominal pain. Following a series of examinations, he was diagnosed with advanced gastric signet-ring cell carcinoma—a subtype accounting for ~9.9% of all gastric cancers—characterized by aggressive invasion, rapid progression, and high malignancy. His 5-year survival rate was estimated to be <10%.

For this tough man from northwest China, the diagnosis felt like the sky collapsing. He lost hope and once considered abandoning treatment. However, the entire gastroenterology team refused to give up. Through patient and meticulous communicationfrom Dr. Li Ming, an attending physician in the Second Gastroenterology Department, the patient and his family’s anxieties were dispelled. They regained confidence, actively cooperated with treatment, and embarked on the arduous, six-year journey of fighting cancer together.

The first course of treatment concluded successfully. Through ongoing communication, the patient rekindled his hope for life and strengthened his resolve to fight cancer. Over more than six years of treatment—during which his condition fluctuated and progressed multiple times—our physicians adjusted the treatment plan repeatedly: they incorporated updates to domestic and international guidelines, administered over 40 chemotherapy sessions, and performed one laparoscopic exploration and biopsy. Whenever treatment hit a snag, doctors and the patient faced challenges together; whenever glimmers of progress emerged, they shared the joy of success. This six-year arduous journey against cancer, marked by repeated life-saving interventions, would not have been possible without the unwavering trust of the patient and his family in Wuwei Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital. Together, they composed a beautiful chapter of shared determination in the fight against cancer.

At Wuwei Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital, there are countless such touching examples of patients entrusting their lives to their care teams. Our constant pursuit of alleviating patients’ suffering, reducing pain and adverse reactions, and improving outcomes embodies our hospital’s commitment to fostering a positive, health-centered value system. This is reflected in our:

•Hospital Motto: Universal Love, Harmony, Health

•Management Philosophy: Refining medical skills, upholding noble ethics, delivering thoughtful service, and building a trusted brand

•Service Philosophy: Putting people first, serving with dedication, caring sincerely, and guarding health

Introduction to the Department of Gastroenterology, Wuwei Academy of Medical Sciences

The Department of Gastroenterology is recognized as:

•A Gansu Provincial Key Discipline;

•A National Demonstration Basefor Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer Early Diagnosis and Treatment (under the National Major Public Health Service Program for Rural Cancer Early Detection);

•A National Training Base for Digestive Endoscopy Professionals(endorsed by the former Ministry of Health);

•A Gansu Provincial Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology;

•The Wuwei Subcenterof the China Helicobacter pylori Molecular Medicine Center;

•The Wuwei Subbankof the Xijing Biobank.

The department is powered by a distinguished team of senior experts, including:

•Zhang Zhiyi, Chief Physician, Founder of the Department of Gastroenterology at Wuwei Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital, and Leading Talent in Gansu’s Health System;

•Nie Peng, Assistant President, Chief Physician (Master of Medicine), and Leading Talent of Wuwei City;

•Lu Linzhi, Chief Physician;

•Zhang Wenhong, Chief Physician (Master of Medicine);

•Zhao Guangyuan, Deputy Chief Physician (Master of Medicine);

•Li Shihua, Deputy Chief Physician;

•Liu Jindian, Deputy Chief Physician (Master of Medicine);

•Xie Chunfang, Deputy Chief Physician.

The Department of Gastroenterology is outfitted with over 300 pieces of advanced medical equipment, including:

•China’s first domestically produced four-arm surgical robot;

•The fourth PET-CT scanner in Gansu Provinceand the first in prefecture-level hospitals across the province;

•A dynamic 500-slice gemstone spectral CT;

•An Optima 670 64-slice 128-layer spiral CT;and more.

• It also houses over 10 types of specialized endoscopic surgical tools, such as STORZ HD full-HD laparoscopes, high-definition 3D thoracoscopes, and high-definition 3D fluorescence laparoscopes. Additionally, the department is equipped with over 30 endoscopes—including Olympus NBI (Narrow-Band Imaging) magnifying endoscopesand endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) probes.

Gastroenterology Department: New Highlights

Advanced Medical Equipment

New Look of the Heavy Ion Campus

Introduction to the Department

The Second Department of Gastroenterology is a Gansu Provincial Key Discipline. Currently, the department has 1 Chief Physician and 1 Deputy Chief Physician on staff.

The team prioritizes continuous learning and stays attuned to the world’s cutting-edge concepts and theories in intestinal disease diagnosis and treatment. It has launched multiple innovative technologies for lower gastrointestinal care, with its clinical capabilities leading in the Hexi regionand ranking among the advanced at the provincial level.

The Second Department of Gastroenterology has unique experience and tailored approaches to managing inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), acute/chronic diarrhea (from diverse causes), intractable constipation, senile constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and functional disorders of the upper/lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

It routinely conducts screening and treatment of early-stage lower GI cancers. For acute lower GI bleeding, the department boasts extensive expertise in endoscopic intervention. Its endoscopists are highly skilled in EMR (endoscopic mucosal resection)and ESD (endoscopic submucosal dissection)for lower GI polyps and early-stage cancers. Routine services also include chemotherapy/radiotherapy for lower GI tumors, as well as microwave therapy. For patients with lower GI strictures caused by tumors, we regularly perform stent placementto relieve obstruction.

Looking ahead, the department plans to launch fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)for inflammatory lower GI diseases in healthy individuals and expand enteral nutrition therapyfor IBD in the near future.

Contact Us

Consultation Hotline: 0935-6989303

Hospital Address: 2nd Floor, Building 3, Heavy Ion Campus, Wuwei Academy of Medical Sciences Cancer Hospital, Wuwei, Gansu Province, China

Preliminary Review: Zhang Jie  

Final Review: Ma Shuqian