Doctors and Patients Join Forces to Conquer Cancer (Part 3) – Miracle of an Octogenarian: Cancer Is Not the End, But a New Beginning

Seizing the Light in the Darkness: An Octogenarian's Cancer Battle, Where Heavy Ion Therapy Shines as a New Dawn of Hope.

In my childhood readings of the Analects, the sages often spoke of life’s milestones: 'At thirty, I stood firm; at forty, I had no doubts; at fifty, I knew the mandate of heaven; at sixty, my ear was attuned to truth; at seventy, I followed my heart’s desires without transgression.' Yet today, we encounter an extraordinary figure—an 87-year-old elder. Diagnosed with cancer in her eighties, should one surrender or face it with courage? Grandma Wang, now 87, has offered a 'perfect answer.' When colorectal cancer struck unexpectedly, she did not wallow in self-pity due to her age. Instead, she bravely declared war on the disease.

I. Case Basic Information

​​Patient Profile:​​ Wang Moumou, female, 87 years old. Diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2019, she underwent surgery and chemotherapy. In 2023, liver metastasis was detected. Due to her advanced age and high surgical risks, alternative treatment options were sought. Feeling desperate and hopeless, Wang and her family stumbled upon a news report about heavy ion therapy, which reignited a glimmer of hope. They immediately contacted Deputy Director Ma Youguo of the Heavy Ion Therapy Center. After Dr. Ma’s patient and detailed explanation, they traveled over 2,000 kilometers—from their hometown of Changchun, Jilin Province—to Wuwei, Gansu Province, arriving at the Department of Radiation Oncology (Heavy Ion Therapy) at Wuwei Cancer Hospital in Gansu. Following a multidisciplinary consultation by the heavy ion therapy expert team, carbon ion therapy was recommended and administered.

II. Treatment Course:

​​Initial Diagnosis (2019):​​

Wang Moumou, female, 87 years old, was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2019. She underwent a radical resection of the colon cancer. Postoperative pathological examination revealed:

• Tumor located 27 cm from the anal margin, moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma.
• Invasion into subserosal connective tissue.
• Tumor dimensions: 3.5 cm × 2.5 cm × 0.5 cm.
• Vascular and neural invasion present.
• Lymph node metastasis identified in 2 out of 14 pericolic lymph nodes (2/14).

​​Immunohistochemistry (IHC) results:​​

• Ki-67: +70%
• MLH1: +90%
• MSH2: +90%
• MSH6: +90%
• PMS2: +90%
• P53: Negative (−)

The patient subsequently received 8 cycles of oral capecitabine chemotherapy, during which no significant adverse reactions were observed.

​​Recurrence & Metastasis (2023):​​ A whole-body PET-CT scan in 2023 revealed a newly emerged hypermetabolic nodule in the right hepatic lobe with FDG avidity, suggestive of metastasis. Given the patient's advanced age and intolerance to a second surgery, heavy ion therapy was selected as the primary treatment, combined with low-dose S-1 (tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil) chemotherapy.

Current status: Follow-up examination nearly one and a half years after treatment shows the tumor has disappeared, with no significant treatment-related discomfort

III. Advantages of Choosing Heavy Ion Therapy

​​1. What is Heavy Ion Therapy?​​

Heavy ion therapy is a type of particle radiation therapy that utilizes high-energy heavy ion beams (such as carbon ions) to precisely destroy tumor cells. The principle behind it is that heavy ion beams create a unique ​​"Bragg peak"​​ as they travel through the body—concentrating energy release precisely at the tumor site while minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues.

​2. Why Choose Heavy Ion Therapy?​​

​​(1) Precision Treatment​​

Carbon ion therapy is an advanced radiotherapy technique that delivers highly accurate tumor irradiation. It is particularly effective for deep-seated tumors or those resistant to photon-based radiotherapy, as it maximizes energy deposition (​​Bragg peak effect​​) within the tumor while sparing adjacent healthy tissues.

​​(2) Enhanced Biological Effectiveness​​

Compared to conventional photon radiotherapy, carbon ion beams exhibit a higher ​​linear energy transfer (LET)​​, generating stronger biological effects at the same dose. This improves treatment efficacy and shortens the overall therapy duration.

​​(3) Overcoming Radioresistance​​

Carbon ion beams induce ​​complex DNA double-strand breaks​​ that are difficult to repair, making them particularly effective against tumors resistant to standard radiotherapy.

​​(4) Broad Applicability​​

Heavy ion therapy is suitable for treating a wide range of cancers, including but not limited to:

• Central nervous system tumors
• Head and neck tumors
• Thoracic and abdominal tumors
• Pelvic tumors
• Bone and soft tissue tumors

​​3. Role of Combination Therapy​​

​​Low-dose S-1 (Tegafur/ Gimeracil/ Oteracil):​​ This oral chemotherapy agent suppresses tumor activity and works synergistically with heavy ion therapy. Its mild side effect profile makes it particularly suitable for elderly patients.

​​IV. Case Inspiration

⑴ Age is not a barrier to cancer treatment: With advancements in medical technology, elderly patients can now receive effective treatment through minimally invasive precision therapies (such as heavy ion radiotherapy), which have minimal impact on their quality of life.  

⑵ The importance of multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment: When selecting a treatment plan, it is essential to comprehensively evaluate the feasibility of various approaches, including surgery, radiotherapy/chemotherapy, and targeted therapy, while avoiding the abandonment of potentially effective options due to "age bias."  

⑶ Accessibility of innovative therapies: Cutting-edge technologies such as heavy ion radiotherapy have been implemented at select domestic centers (e.g., Wuwei Heavy Ion Center). Patients can learn about these frontier treatment options through online consultations and science popularization platforms.

Department Introduction

The Department of Radiation Oncology I currently has 15 medical staff members, forming a highly knowledgeable and dynamic professional team. The team benefits from the technical and academic guidance of Professor Yee-Min Jen, Director of the Radiation Oncology Department at Tri-Service General Hospital in Taiwan. Several physicians have had the opportunity to pursue advanced training abroad, conducting exchanges and studies at proton, heavy ion, and photon therapy centers in the United States, Germany, and Japan to master cutting-edge technologies and broaden their professional perspectives. Department Director Associate Chief Physician Ma Youguo has been engaged in radiation oncology for over 26 years, personally witnessing the growth and development of our department. He has been dispatched multiple times for advanced training at nationally renowned radiation therapy centers, including Sichuan Cancer Hospital and Peking University Cancer Hospital. Additionally, he was selected to participate in exchange programs at the Scripps Proton Therapy Center in San Diego, USA, and the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (NIRS) Heavy Ion Medical Center in Japan, accumulating extensive clinical experience in oncology radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Treatment Scope

The department primarily provides carbon ion and photon radiotherapy for malignant tumors in the abdominal and pelvic regions, including pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, bile duct cancer, colorectal cancer, kidney cancer, prostate cancer, and soft tissue sarcomas, as well as benign conditions such as keloids, bone tumors, and vascular malformations. It also offers comprehensive treatment for various malignancies, including chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and cellular immunotherapy.

      Department Director: Ma Youguo (Associate Chief Physician)    

                Head Nurse: Ma Yanping (Chief Nurse)