In July 2024, Ms. Lee Ying Nhor, a 69-year-old retiree living peacefully in Borneo, Malaysia, had her tranquil life disrupted by difficulty swallowing, loss of appetite, and abdominal pain. Within a few months, her minor discomfort escalated into severe weight loss, inability to eat normally, speech difficulties, and persistent abdominal pain that robbed her of sleep.

After examination at a local Malaysian hospital, Ms. Lee was diagnosed with poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma at the gastroesophageal junction, classified as advanced stomach cancer. CT imaging revealed a tumor measuring approximately 5.4 * 3.5 cm at the gastroesophageal junction and around the cardia, with extensive lymph node metastases in the abdominal cavity—a highly malignant gastrointestinal tumor.

（LEE YING NHOR）

To seize the opportunity for treatment, Ms. Lee followed medical advice and underwent two sessions of systemic chemotherapy at the local hospital. However, the chemotherapy yielded minimal results and brought severe side effects: complete loss of appetite, inability to eat, and unbearable cancer pain that left her unable to speak normally. "After chemotherapy, my mom couldn't even drink water; she was extremely weak and could only survive on intravenous fluids," her daughter recalled, "The doctor also told me that continuing chemotherapy might accelerate her physical decline, and she might not survive beyond a year or even a few months."

At that time, after enduring six months of suffering, Ms. Lee was physically and mentally exhausted, and had lost 13 kilograms. Her entire family was enveloped in darkness... At this critical juncture, they urgently needed a new direction.

Just as the family was nearly resigned to despair, a lecture on "Minimally Invasive Treatment for Advanced Cancer" held by Dr. Ma Xiaoying from Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou in Malaysia at the beginning of September 2024 became a seemingly ordinary yet profoundly significant sharing session that changed the fate of Ms. Lee and her family, offering a new direction for her cancer fight.

During the lecture, Dr. Ma shared multiple cases of advanced cancer patients achieving remarkable therapeutic effects through precise minimally invasive treatments, including interventional therapy and natural therapy, among other cutting-edge technologies. Her daughter recalled, "Before listening to the lecture, I didn't know that there were other treatment options besides surgery, full-body radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Patients could achieve good minimally invasive treatment effects without enduring such pain." These contents deeply moved Ms. Lee's daughter.

"At that time, we didn't know much about medical treatment in China, and we were unfamiliar with the place. We were also worried about being deceived. However, after listening to the lecture and searching online for information, seeing many patients sharing their real experiences, we decided to take our mother to Guangzhou, China, to give it a try," said her daughter.

On September 20, MS. Lee, accompanied by her daughter, arrived at Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou, embarking on a new round of treatment attempts with trepidation but determination.

Upon admission, Ms. Lee's vital signs were extremely critical: severe malnutrition due to prolonged bed rest and inability to eat, intermittent gastrointestinal bleeding, severe anemia with a hemoglobin level of only 51 g/L (normal for women is 110–150 g/L), along with multiple comorbidities including hypertension, type 2 diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and heart failure—a typical case of a high-aged, critically ill cancer patient.

Faced with such a high-aged, critically ill cancer patient, the MDT (Multidisciplinary Team) at Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou quickly convened a joint discussion and formulated an integrated minimally invasive treatment plan centered on "precise interventional therapy + natural therapy" for Ms. Lee. The plan also strictly managed her comorbidities and nutritional support, ensuring that treatment was balanced with her physical tolerance.

Ms. Lee's treatment began with her first interventional therapy session on September 25, 2024. In the first two days after the surgery, she experienced mild discomfort such as reduced appetite and fatigue, but these symptoms quickly subsided, and her ability to eat gradually recovered, even allowing her to speak again. She said, "After the first interventional therapy session, I felt quite unwell and had no appetite, but this only lasted for 2–3 days, and then I started feeling better."

Over the next two months, Ms. Lee completed three interventional therapy sessions and four natural therapy sessions. First, through minimally invasive interventional therapy, anti-tumor drugs with concentrations 2–92 times higher than traditional chemotherapy were precisely infused into the tumor area, and the tumor's blood supply arteries were embolized to achieve localized tumor reduction. Next, natural therapy was used to assist in enhancing immunity and improving nutritional absorption, working in tandem to deliver synergistic effects. Throughout the treatment period, the hospital's medical team closely monitored Ms. Lee's blood pressure, blood sugar, and heart condition to ensure every step was precise and safe.

A follow-up examination three months later showed that 80%–90% of the tumor had disappeared, and the metastatic lymph nodes in the abdominal cavity had significantly shrunk. Previously requiring blood transfusions due to anemia, her hemoglobin levels had now returned to a safe range, and her pain had completely disappeared. "Now I can eat and sleep normally, just like a healthy person," Ms. Lee exclaimed excitedly.

(Extensive abdominal lymph node metastasis)

(Before treatment VS after treatment)

Dr. Ma explained, "Her discomfort has completely disappeared. She can get out of bed and walk around, and eat normally. The follow-up CT scan also showed that the tumor has almost disappeared, reaching a clinically complete remission state."

Her daughter added emotionally, "Dr. Ma and Dr. Lin not only helped with the treatment but also shared how to help patients absorb nutrients more effectively, emphasizing the importance of protein intake. Simply relying on nutritional fluids would have been too much for my mother's heart to handle, and without being able to eat, subsequent treatments would have been impossible to sustain. However, after these treatments, my mother's appetite gradually recovered, and she started eating again, which made everything much easier."

(Lee Ying Nhor and Her Daughter)

In addition to the improvement in her condition brought about by the treatment itself, Ms. Lee and her family highly praised the services provided by Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou. The patience, meticulousness, and politeness of the medical staff in both daily care and cross-border communication deeply touched them, making this professional and warm service an important support on Ms. Lee's cancer-fighting journey.

(Lee Ying Nhor and her daughter took a photo with medical staff)

"The nurses always remind me to get up slowly and be careful; everyone is very considerate," Ms. Lee said with a long-lost smile on her face. "Even after we returned to Malaysia, the doctors and nurses responded quickly in the WeChat group, often resolving our questions within minutes," her daughter added.

Her daughter also specifically mentioned the hospital's experience in urgently coordinating blood donations during the National Day holiday: "My mother needed an emergency blood transfusion due to severe anemia, and the hospital coordinated with the blood bank overnight without any delay." The meticulousness and efficiency of the medical team made their international medical journey much more reassuring.

Now, with her condition improved, Ms. Lee has not only regained her confidence in life but also actively recommends Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou to relatives and friends, encouraging other cancer patients with her own experience.

"I tell my relatives and friends not to be afraid; choose the right hospital and the right doctor, and there is hope. Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou is truly excellent," Ms. Lee said proudly.

Her daughter also shared, "I met a cancer patient in the fourth stage at the hospital, and I told him to trust the doctors and cooperate with the treatment; as long as he persists, there is hope. My mother is the best example."

Facing their past suffering and fear, mother and daughter now feel more peace and gratitude. They want to tell cancer patients, "Be patient, stay optimistic, don't be discouraged; face what happens bravely, and believe that all good things are on their way."

From the despair of "not being able to drink water" to the normal life of "being able to eat and sleep," Ms. Lee's story is not only a victory of medical technology but also a true testament to the joint efforts of doctors and patients in the face of adversity. As Dr. Ma Xiaoying said, the treatment of advanced cancer is full of challenges, but the hope that never gives up will eventually illuminate the path ahead.

(Director Ma Xiaoying)