Teamwork Breaks Silence as Cancer Emerges

Ramli Rukiana from Batam, Indonesia, is 50 years old. in November 2023, he noticed that his voice had been hoarse for more than 2 months and was not getting better. After a checkup at a local hospital, the doctor told him, "The cause is unknown." He had no choice but to go to Singapore, where a CT scan showed "cancer".

Mr. Ramli recalled that when he first learned that he had been diagnosed with cancer, he couldn't help but whisper, "At that time, I was so sad that I didn't want to communicate with others or inform my loved ones; I was worried that they would be as sad as I was, and I thought I would just give up on the treatment! But this is very different from my outgoing personality. In my opinion, cancer is equal to death, or waiting for death, I was not willing to go through the pain of excision surgery and radiotherapy, sick in bed. Thanks to my wife's encouragement, I tried to communicate with friends. With the support of a strong team, I finally found a way out."

International Medical Preferences - Minimally invasive treatment without side effects

It was reported that 30 years ago, his relative had traveled to a hospital in China for cancer treatment, which had been successful and had never recurred. After getting this news, he was greatly encouraged. As a result, he and his family started to look for quality oncology hospitals in China on the Internet and accidentally found St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou. "After contacting the staff of Medan International Service Center, I felt their care and professionalism during the communication." With the enthusiastic help of the staff, he had a remote consultation with a multidisciplinary team of experts through ZOOM.

At that time, Mr. Ramli expressed his concerns to the multidisciplinary team of experts, "I don't want to undergo a resection; the surgery is too risky, the recovery time is long, and I have a history of high-risk heart disease. I hope the treatment time is not too long either, as I still need to take care of my work and family." Upon hearing this, the multidisciplinary team of experts patiently but firmly said to Mr. Ramli, "We have carefully studied all of your pathology reports, and based on your condition, we initially recommend that you undergo the minimally invasive treatment. This treatment avoids resection surgery, is less invasive, can reduce your treatment burden, and is also more suitable for your current age and physical condition. We will develop the next step in your treatment plan based on an evaluation of your result."

After receiving the affirmative answer from the multidisciplinary expert team, Mr. Ramli stepped into Guangzhou Modern Cancer Hospital in December 2023 with full confidence. After a series of examinations, the multidisciplinary expert team explained the results to him: "You are diagnosed with stage IV lung malignant tumor (non-small cell carcinoma of the left lung, infiltrative adenocarcinoma), with a tumor size of about 1.7cm, accompanied by lymph node metastasis. According to your condition, we have formulated a minimally invasive interventional therapy for you. Interventional therapy involves infusing anti-tumor drugs directly into the tumor site through a very small catheter and with the help of computer imaging instructions. This treatment does not damage normal cells, has no side effects, effectively removes the tumor without the need for an incision, and is kinder to your cardiovascular disease."

Mr. Ramli and his wife with the director, doctors and nurses on the fourth floor

Interventional Therapy Successfully Breaks Through High-risk Cardiovascular Disease and Cancer Barrier

The multidisciplinary team of experts explained the treatment plan in detail and professionally, as well as the thoughtful care of the medical staff, put Mr. Ramli, who was initially afraid of hospitals and had high-risk cardiovascular diseases, at ease to receive the treatment. For our multidisciplinary team of specialists, the treatment process was also difficult. The reason was that Mr. Ramli, who was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer (malignant tumor), suffered from cardiovascular disease and his heart function was only 30%.

With the collaboration of a team of experts with many years of clinical treatment experience and multidisciplinary specialties, a breakthrough was finally achieved. "After the first intervention, I felt significantly better. And I didn't feel side effects such as regurgitation or weakness. I could carry out all my daily activities normally, and I even joked with the doctor that I could be discharged from the hospital and go home on the day the intervention was over." Mr. Ramli told us with a smile.

After the examination report came out, the multidisciplinary team of experts explained his condition: "I am glad to inform you that the treatment was successful. According to the examination results, the tumor in your lungs has almost disappeared, and the metastatic part of lymphoma has been significantly reduced. See, the contrast between before and after the treatment is especially obvious, and all the indicators of your body have also improved significantly." After hearing this, Mr. Ramli and his wife happily shook the doctor's hand to express their gratitude, "Thank you very much! We are really happy and very satisfied with the treatment!" Since Mr. Ramli returned to Indonesia, he has contacted us several times to tell us that he has been in good health.

"Compared to other hospitals, the medical treatment here is efficient, and all relevant tests can be done in about 2 days after admission. Subsequently, my attending doctor, ward director, and a team of experts from other disciplines discussed my condition and finally came up with a treatment plan. And they explained to me in detail the various matters in the treatment plan, so that my uneasiness was eliminated." As Mr. Ramli has worked as a team manager and gained experience in managing a team of about 200 people, he has repeatedly expressed his confidence in our hospital as he is convinced that teamwork is the key to achieving good treatment outcomes. His friends and family, including work associates, have been amazed at the results of his treatment. "I would recommend this hospital to them, and my personal experience tells me that the oncology treatment technology and services at this hospital are excellent." Mr. Ramli gave a thumbs-up to show his approval.

During the intervention, Mr. Ramli had a good appetite and became a member of "Clear your plate".

Friendship in the Fight Against Cancer Knows No Boundaries

Outgoing, Mr. Ramli often visited patients in other wards during treatment and interacted with them. "I like to communicate with them, even though they come from different countries such as Singapore, Malaysia, the United States, Vietnam, Thailand, etc., and sometimes they don't speak the same language, but I will use Google Translate." Patients who were pronounced drug-free at other hospitals, experienced recurrence after resection surgery, and were tortured by radiation and chemotherapy were given satisfactory treatment results and improved quality of life here.

February 27, 2024, photo of Mr. Ramli during treatment

Talking about the difficult process of fighting cancer, he said with reddened eyes, "I am very thankful to the doctors, nurses, and interpreters here, especially the Medan International Service Center. They are now like my family and we have gotten to know each other very well. The comfortable environment of the hospital also makes me feel at home. I would especially like to thank my dear wife, whose encouragement has been the greatest motivation in my fight against cancer. This motivation is crucial, and a positive mindset has made my treatment outcome even better. As a result, I am always encouraging other patients to stay optimistic about their treatment so that eventually we can all beat cancer!"