A mere upper abdominal pain led to a diagnosis of advanced pancreatic cancer—with liver metastases. This was the harsh reality facing Igor (pseudonym).
Refusing Chemotherapy: Russian Cancer Patient Comes to China for Treatment
Igor is from Russia. Earlier this year, he began experiencing upper abdominal pain without any clear cause. A medical examination revealed masses in both the pancreas and liver. A liver biopsy suggested hepatic adenocarcinoma, most likely a metastasis from pancreatic cancer.
Refusing systemic chemotherapy, Igor was firm in his decision. He had seen too many pancreatic cancer patients suffer severe side effects from chemotherapy and feared that he might not survive them.
Yet treatment was urgent, as his liver pain was becoming unbearable. Igor turned to social media in search of medical solutions—and Guangzhou Fuda Cancer Hospital appeared in his research. After learning about Fuda’s medical technology and successful treatment cases involving pancreatic cancer, he made the decision to fly to Guangzhou, China, for treatment.
Fuda’s Multimodal Treatment Shrinks Tumors and Relieves Pain
Upon admission, Igor was in such severe pain that he could barely walk—he described himself as “dragging his body” into the hospital. Further examination revealed that in addition to tumors in the pancreas and liver, he also had tumor involvement in the peritoneum, omentum, and multiple lymph nodes.
Pancreatic cancer is known as the “king of cancers” not only because it’s hard to detect early and progresses rapidly, often with distant metastases, but also because of its complex tumor microenvironment, which causes significant immune resistance. This greatly limits the effectiveness of many existing treatment methods.
However, with advancements in medical technology, even pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis is no longer untreatable. Still, it requires a comprehensive, multimodal approach—single-modality treatments rarely yield satisfactory results.
The Department of Internal Medicine IV at Fuda developed a personalized treatment plan based on Igor’s condition, addressing his elevated amylase and transaminase levels with liver-protective, acid-suppressing, and pancreatic secretion-inhibiting therapies. Once those indicators stabilized, a personalized anti-tumor plan was initiated:
Combination Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy: These two treatments worked synergistically to enhance efficacy.
Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy: Through femoral artery puncture and under DSA imaging guidance, a catheter was inserted to deliver chemotherapy directly into the celiac artery, hepatic artery, and superior mesenteric artery. This allowed direct targeting of the tumor while minimizing damage to liver function and the rest of the body—laying a solid foundation for future treatment.
After the initial immunotherapy and targeted therapy, Igor reported significant relief from liver pain. Two to three cycles later, CT scans showed a reduction in both the pancreatic lesions and multiple liver metastases. Fuda’s medical team promptly adjusted his treatment and performed cryoablation of liver tumors. Under imaging guidance, ablation probes were percutaneously inserted into the tumors, where rapid freezing and thawing cycles were used to precisely destroy cancer cells.
“I feel a bit weak right after treatment, but compared to being in so much pain I couldn’t walk, now I can go about life normally—even flying from place to place with energy.”
Since falling ill, Igor had lost 25 kg, but now his appetite has returned, and his weight remains stable. He expressed gratitude for choosing Fuda, especially praising its diverse treatment methods, attentive care, and the integration of traditional Chinese and Western medicine.
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Relief: Traditional Chinese Medicine Captures a Russian Heart
“TCM has been very kind to me.”When Igor first came to Fuda, he had never been exposed to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), let alone imagined he would form a deep bond with it. But during his stay, he not only received advanced modern treatment, but also experienced the unique charm of TCM. After it effectively resolved his bowel issues and improved his vascular condition, this ancient medical wisdom completely won him over.
Igor fell in love with Fuda—and even more so with TCM. He became close friends with his TCM physician, Dr. Wang Xueliang, and left China with carefully prepared herbal medicine. Along with his newfound health, he brought home the warmth and friendship he found at Fuda to his distant homeland.
