In
January this year, the passing of "Chess Saint" Nie Weiping elicited
deep sighs from countless people. (TㅅT) This era icon, who deserves the title
in the history of Chinese Go, inspired many with his superb chess skills; at
the same time, he was also a brave fighter in the field of anti-cancer.
(^o^)/YES!
Many people are unaware that as early as 2013, Nie Weiping underwent an extremely difficult test of life and death. At that time, Nie, who was 61 years old, went to the hospital for a check-up due to unexplained weight loss and was diagnosed with advanced rectal cancer.
With his unwavering will and scientifically standardized treatment, he fought cancer for 12 years and ultimately achieved a complete cure. Until his passing, the cause of his death was not a recurrence of cancer, but rather other sudden illnesses.
Nie Weiping's journey in fighting cancer not only demonstrates the resilience of life, but also reveals a core truth to the public - when facing rectal cancer, standardized treatment is the "winning move".
Following standardized treatment for rectal cancer is the key to grasping the hope for survival
Tu Ruisha, Director of the First Ward of Gastrointestinal Surgery at Hainan Cancer Hospital, stated that to understand the importance of standardized treatment for rectal cancer, one must first recognize its "pernicious nature": as a common malignant tumor of the gastrointestinal tract, rectal cancer often presents with symptoms such as frequent bowel movements, changes in bowel habits, and a sensation of anal descent in its early stages, which are highly deceptive and often mistaken for common anorectal diseases such as hemorrhoids and enteritis. Many patients are already in the middle or late stages when they seek medical attention, missing the best opportunity for treatment.
Director Tu Ruisha
The so-called standardized treatment is not a single treatment method, but an individualized comprehensive treatment plan formulated based on comprehensive factors such as the patient's disease stage and physical condition. The core lies in the scientific combination of various methods such as surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy.
The treatment process of Nie Weiping serves as a typical exemplar of standardized treatment. This strict adherence to standardized treatment laid the foundation for his subsequent long-term survival. As Nie Weiping said, one should bravely face the disease and fully cooperate with the treatment throughout the entire process.
As early as November 2018, the Gastrointestinal Surgery Department of Hainan Cancer Hospital was awarded the title of "Pilot Unit for Standardized Targeted Therapy of Advanced Colorectal Cancer" by the Colorectal Cancer Professional Committee of the Chinese Anti-Cancer Association. Its rectal cancer treatment technology is at the leading level in the province, not only possessing a professional medical team and comprehensive diagnostic and treatment methods, but also excelling in targeted drug therapy.
The hospital actively forms MDT (Multidisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment) teams that integrate gastroenterology surgery with imaging, radiotherapy, internal medicine, pathology, and other disciplines. These teams conduct discussions on the conditions of patients with difficult and advanced colorectal cancer, treatment methods, and standardized use of targeted drugs. With a multi-disciplinary approach, they tailor the optimal diagnosis and treatment plan for each patient.
It is worth mentioning that the current treatment of rectal cancer is moving from "standardization" to "precision". "Neoadjuvant therapy" can reduce surgical difficulty and enhance treatment efficacy through preoperative chemotherapy (or chemoradiotherapy). Furthermore, with the continuous maturity of radiotherapy technology, molecular detection technology, and the sustained development of immunotherapy, it brings new hope to more patients to preserve organ function and reduce treatment trauma.
Bowel cancer doesn't "just happen"! This is a must-do every year after the age of 40
Tu Ruisha emphasized that the incidence rate of colorectal cancer in China starts to increase rapidly from the age of 40. However, colorectal cancer does not "erupt overnight", but rather results from the accumulation of long-term risk factors. Early risk screening and intervention can effectively reduce the risk of developing the disease. Early detection of intestinal cancer can significantly reduce the difficulty of treatment and improve survival rates.
Tu Ruisha suggested that in addition to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and dietary habits, people over the age of 40 can undergo a fecal occult blood test once a year.
For individuals with high-risk factors, such as a family history of bowel cancer, or those suffering from conditions like colitis, Crohn's disease, colonic adenoma, or colonic polyps, as well as those experiencing long-term symptoms like bloody stools and constipation, it is recommended to undergo a colonoscopy. The frequency of colonoscopy should be determined based on the specific results of the examination.
For some high-risk groups with hereditary colorectal cancer, the age for the first screening may be even earlier.
Colonoscopy not only allows for a direct visualization of the internal condition of the intestine and precise localization of early lesions, but also enables the removal of risky tissues such as polyps on the spot, thereby reducing the potential for canceration from the source. It is currently the "gold standard" for colorectal cancer screening and also the most cost-effective method for colorectal cancer screening.
Expert Introduction
Tu Ruisha
Director of Minimally Invasive Surgery, Ward 1, Gastrointestinal Surgery Department
Chief Physician
Secretary-General of the Hainan Provincial Cancer Prevention and Control Association
Other high-level talents in Hainan Province
Medical expertise
Skilled in laparoscopic radical gastrectomy, laparoscopic radical resection of colorectal cancer, single-port laparoscopic radical resection of colon cancer, endoscopic thyroidectomy, and other surgeries.
Clinic Hours
Monday morning and afternoon, Tuesday afternoon
Written by | Chen Lin