A Heart of Compassion Across the Strait – Professor Yee-Min Jen Returns to Wuwei Heavy Ion Center

A Heart of Compassion Across the Strait – Professor Yee-Min Jen Returns to Wuwei Heavy Ion Center

In the golden autumn of Wuwei, the sky is high and clear, with cool breezes bringing refreshment. At the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital, a familiar figure has once again appeared in the radiotherapy ward. With steady steps and a gentle smile, he slows down slightly as he passes each patient room — he is Professor Yee‑Min Jen, a renowned radiation oncology expert from Taiwan, China.

As the 9th Chairman of the Taiwan Society for Radiation Oncology, Professor Yee‑Min Jen has devoted over thirty years to the fields of radiation biology and tumor radiotherapy. Since his first visit to the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center in 2020, he has crossed the Strait time and again through five years of changing seasons, renewing his contract twice, and now serves as the Chief “Dual‑Appointed” Expert at both the Wuwei and Lanzhou Heavy Ion Centers. For him, this land in Northwest China is no longer a “foreign place,” but a “second hometown” to which he has dedicated his heart and holds deep affection.

True Excellence Lies in the Details

Professor Jen's ward rounds always carry a reassuring rhythm. He begins with a brief case review alongside the attending physician, systematically verifying each patient's imaging studies, dose distribution maps, and recent laboratory results. Only after gaining a thorough understanding of the patient's condition does he lead the team into the wards for rounds. At the bedside of a postoperative esophageal cancer patient, Professor Jen leaned in to examine the drainage tube placement and incision healing, then cross‑referenced the latest chest CT images to confirm no significant exudate around the anastomosis. He instructed the attending physician: "After the drainage tube is removed, the dietary transition must strictly follow the stepwise progression from clear liquids to full liquids to semi‑liquids. Start with warm water and increase gradually to avoid excessive tension on the anastomosis." Turning to the patient, he added with a smile: "You're recovering well — in a few days, you'll be able to enjoy some millet porridge." Hearing this, the patient's brow relaxed, and they nodded gently.

At the bedside of a lung cancer patient who had completed heavy ion therapy, Professor Jen first listened to the attending physician's report on the patient's recent respiratory function, imaging changes, and post‑radiotherapy response. He then leaned in and gently placed his stethoscope on the patient's back, carefully auscultating both lungs and focusing on identifying early signs of radiation pneumonitis — such as moist rales or diminished breath sounds. After completing the auscultation, he reviewed the patient's radiotherapy plan, cross‑checking the target volume dose distribution and the radiation dose to normal lung tissue, confirming that the protection parameters met expectations. He instructed the nurse: "Pay close attention in the coming days to whether the patient develops a dry cough or shortness of breath, and report any abnormalities promptly." Turning to the patient, he said: "Your lung recovery is progressing well. Keep it up, and do some deep breathing exercises when appropriate."

From imaging interpretation to bedside examination, from dose verification to nursing details, Professor Jen's ward rounds consistently follow a clear logic: evidence‑based, patient‑centered, and relentless in pursuing excellence at every step.

Multidisciplinary Care – Where Expertise Meets Compassion

For several complex tumor cases requiring multisystem evaluation, Professor Jen joined experts from radiation oncology, medical oncology, radiology, pathology, and nutrition for joint multidisciplinary consultations. During the sessions, specialists from each discipline offered professional opinions from their respective perspectives — including imaging characteristics, pathological classification, radiotherapy target volume delineation, systemic treatment strategies, and nutritional support. After listening carefully to each contribution, Professor Jen systematically reviewed and precisely refined the treatment plans from the standpoints of radiation biology and clinical radiotherapy, taking into account each patient's prior treatment response and physical tolerance.

Passing on Expertise- A Duty and a Passion

Beyond clinical duties, Professor Jen devotes considerable effort to nurturing young physicians. He understands that while a precise radiotherapy plan can benefit one patient, a capable, well‑trained team is what truly protects a community. To this end, he draws on cutting‑edge national and international literature, combined with his decades of hands‑on clinical experience, to systematically teach young physicians the core techniques and clinical decision‑making points in tumor radiotherapy. When faced with enthusiastic questions, he answers each one patiently and generously. But what he values even more is planting a philosophy in the hearts of the younger generation. He often tells young physicians: "What we face is not a scan, not a target volume, but a living person. No matter how advanced the technology, it must ultimately come down to the patient's experience and quality of life." In his view, while a precise radiotherapy plan is important, even more important is that physicians always keep the patient — the person — at the center of their hearts. He encourages young doctors to ask one more question, to think one layer deeper, and to treat every clinical encounter as a solemn response to life. This rigorous, pragmatic, and excellence‑driven approach is quietly shaping the younger generation in the department.

Five Years of Dedication, an Unwavering Mission

From 2020 to today, Professor Yee‑Min Jen has crossed the Strait time and again, bringing cutting‑edge expertise to the wards of Northwest China. The moments of leaning in during ward rounds, listening attentively during consultations, and patiently answering questions at the podium — these seemingly small, everyday details form the continuing story between him and the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center.

As a leading authority in radiation oncology spanning both sides of the Strait, he has translated advanced technologies into precise, bedside clinical decisions, and through MDT consultations and academic lectures, has deeply instilled the philosophy of "precision with compassion" in the hearts of young physicians. These scenes vividly reflect the founding mission of Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital: "Gathering world‑leading technologies to benefit cancer patients everywhere."

Autumn winds rise, and a compassionate heart arrives. The story between Professor Yee‑Min Jen and the Wuwei Heavy Ion Center continues.

Writer: Yang Yang

First Review: Zhang Jie

Second Review: Guo Yishan

Third Review: Cai Qinghua

Gansu Wuwei Cancer Hospital of  Province (Wuwei Institute of Medical Sciences)

（甘）医广【2025】第11-14-387号