The Good News of Life: The Story of Heavy-Ion Therapy for Pancreatic Tumors
"Everyone says pancreatic cancer is the 'King of Cancers.' I wasn’t scared before, but when the doctor told me the truth, I suddenly felt the world shrink. Why did this disease have to strike me?" said Mr. Zhang from Sichuan.
After searching online, he found information stating that "the incidence rate is higher in males than females." His wife countered, "It’s just a matter of probability. This disease doesn’t discriminate between men and women!"
March 3, 2020, was a day he would never forget. After resting at home for days with unrelenting pain, he reluctantly went to a nearby hospital. The doctor diagnosed it as pancreatitis, administered intravenous fluids, prescribed some medication, and sent him home.
"The pain initially subsided a bit, and I thought the medication would cure me. Instead of improving, the pain grew even worse. With my family’s help, I returned to the hospital. After a CT scan, the doctor’s face fell. A sigh escaped him, and I sensed something unusual. I urgently asked, ‘What’s wrong with me?’ Instead of answering, he first asked if my family was present. This startled me—by common understanding, such a question implies dire news. Later, I learned I had pancreatic cancer, a devastating diagnosis.
Yet, I was also fortunate. During my treatment, I didn’t take any wrong turns. This was thanks to a friend I’d met years earlier. We’d known each other for eight years, and she herself had battled pancreatic cancer in 2019. She urged me to seek out Deputy Director Ma Youguo at Gansu Heavy-Ion Hospital, explaining that heavy-ion therapy required no surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation. From her own experience, the disease had been cured."
"Following my friend’s advice, I went to the hospital she mentioned and met Deputy Director Ma Youguo. His warm, kind smile immediately put me at ease. I explained my condition and showed him all my previous test results. Deputy Director Ma conducted a thorough evaluation for my admission:
Abdominal MRI (December 2020): A mass at the pancreatic uncinate process and surrounding mesenteric arteries/veins, with invasion and occlusion of the superior mesenteric vein, as well as compression and stenosis of the horizontal duodenum.
Clinical Diagnosis:
1.Adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic uncinate process;
2.Obstruction of the horizontal duodenum;
3.Severe malnutrition;
4.Gastric retention.
Deputy Director Ma truly embodied ‘exemplary medical ethics and exceptional expertise’. He was meticulous in his work, thorough in diagnosis, and often comforted me, urging me to stay calm…
Based on my condition, he devised a precise treatment plan. He explained that my pancreatic lesion was compressing the horizontal duodenum, causing upper gastrointestinal obstruction, gastric retention, and postprandial vomiting. After admission, I underwent nasojejunal tube placement and gastrointestinal decompression to ensure adequate nutritional support and gastric emptying. Starting on December 29, 2020, I began carbon-ion therapy with a total dose of 55.2 Gy (RBE) delivered over 12 sessions."
Around the 7th treatment session, the pain significantly subsided, and tumor markers showed remarkable decline during the course. One month post-treatment, I resumed normal eating habits completely while observing tumor shrinkage. After six months of treatment, the tumor became necrotic with all activity completely disappeared. The cancer lesions were eradicated. I'm profoundly grateful to Vice President Ma Youguo and all medical staff at Wuwei Cancer Hospital of Gansu Province. Their compassionate care and exceptional expertise saved and revitalized my life. The overwhelming gratitude still resonates within me! "The heavy ion therapy at Wuwei Cancer Hospital Heavy Ion Center is truly remarkable. It served not only as my lifesaver but stands as a cornerstone of cure in oncology. With this technology, cancer can be completely conquered - it's absolutely groundbreaking!"
The patient's pancreatic lesion before carbon ion therapy
Course of treatment
Carbon Ion Therapy Target Planning for Pancreatic Cancer
Efficacy Evaluation of Pancreatic Cancer Following Carbon Ion Therapy
Case 2
Wang XX， Male， 81 years old，Upper abdominal distension and pain for 3 months.
Abdominal MRI: A mass in the pancreatic body (5.4x4.7cm), considered a tumor lesion, possibly pancreatic cancer, with local encasement of the splenic artery and pending exclusion of involvement of the adjacent gastric lesser curvature.
Clinical diagnosis:Adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic body.
The patient's pancreatic lesion before carbon ion therapy
Course of treatment
Efficacy Evaluation of Pancreatic Cancer Following Carbon Ion Therapy
Pre-treatment MDT consultation and ward round for pancreatic cancer patients
Wuwei Heavy Ion Center is China's first clinical application center for heavy ion therapy systems. Since its official launch in March 2020, it has been successfully operating for five years. To date, the center has treated 1,816 patients, achieving remarkable therapeutic outcomes for complex lesions in cranial, pancreatic, pulmonary, and other critical areas. Patients have come from across China, Europe, Australia, and other regions. Building upon its three-year successful operation, the center has established the nation's first tumor rehabilitation and wellness town. This innovative facility features a comprehensive, whole-life-cycle health management system that integrates tumor comprehensive treatment, dietary management therapy, mental and physical health management, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome differentiation therapy, rehabilitation physiotherapy, biological immune cell therapy, horticultural therapy, and cultural therapy.
Department Introduction
Department of Heavy Ion and Photon Therapy for Abdominal and Pelvic Tumors (Radiotherapy Department 1)
The department specializes in carbon ion and photon radiotherapy for abdominal and pelvic tumors such as pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, colorectal cancer, and prostate cancer. The discipline leader, Ma Youguo, an associate chief physician, the vice president of Gansu Heavy Ion Hospital, and the director of the Abdominal and Pelvic Tumor Heavy Ion and Photon Therapy Department (Radiotherapy Department One). Since the opening of the heavy ion center, pancreatic cancer patients from all over the country have come for treatment. Over the past year, the local control rate for pancreatic cancer patients from all over the country has reached as high as 90%, with definite therapeutic effects and a good treatment experience for patients. This data has reached or even exceeded the data of some heavy ion centers around the world in treating pancreatic cancer, and the therapeutic effect has been fully recognized by well-known experts at home and abroad and the majority of patients.
Contact us
Tel: 4006096666
Address: Department of Heavy Ion Therapy for Abdominal and Pelvic Tumors, Heavy Ion Campus, Wuwei Cancer Hospital, Gansu Province.