Mr. Yu, who came for a medical examination due to persistent lower back pain, was diagnosed with lung cancer accompanied by bone metastasis. The sudden diagnosis plunged his family into deep anxiety.
Fortunately, they were able to consult Professor Yang Nong, a specially-appointed expert from Hainan Cancer Hospital/Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Hainan Medical University, who developed a personalized and precise treatment plan for this rare case of "small lesion with distant metastasis". After undergoing standardized treatment in stages, Mr. Yu's condition continued to improve, giving him renewed confidence in treatment.
01 Back pain screening reveals advanced lung cancer
In March this year, Mr. Yu suddenly experienced pain in his waist and thighs, which continued to worsen and affected his normal walking. Initially, he thought it was a problem with his bone joints. However, after going to the hospital for examination, the results were unexpected: imaging tests revealed the presence of malignant tumor lesions in his lungs and metastatic masses in his lumbar vertebral bodies.
Subsequent pathological biopsy ultimately confirmed lung adenocarcinoma with lumbar bone metastasis. Originally, there were no obvious lung symptoms, but the diagnosis of lung cancer with distant metastasis shocked Mr. Yu and his family. In order to seek professional treatment options, the family members inquired from various sources and learned through the official WeChat public account of Hainan Cancer Hospital that Professor Yang Nong, a specially-appointed expert, had profound knowledge in the field of precision diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer and treatment of difficult cases. Therefore, they made an appointment for a consultation as soon as possible.
At the end of April, accompanied by his family, Mr. Yu visited Professor Yang Nong's clinic for treatment. After a detailed examination of the medical images and a comprehensive assessment of the patient's condition, Professor Yang Nong accurately pointed out the uniqueness of the patient's condition: "The primary lung lesions are small in size and few in number, but distant bone metastasis has already occurred. This clinical situation is very rare."
Professor Yang Nong on a consultation visit (file photo)
"Although the condition is rare, there is ample room for treatment in such cases, presenting opportunities to achieve favorable therapeutic outcomes and even meet clinical cure standards." In response to the patient's condition, Professor Yang Nong formulated a tiered precision treatment plan: initially, targeted oral drug therapy was implemented, accompanied by localized radiotherapy for the lumbar spine, to control bone metastasis lesions and alleviate pain symptoms. Once the lumbar spine metastasis lesions stabilized, a reevaluation was conducted to assess the feasibility of radiotherapy for the primary lung lesion, supplemented by drug therapy to inhibit bone destruction.
In addition, he patiently soothed the patient's emotions, saying, "We will gradually standardize the treatment, so there is no need for excessive anxiety." With professional judgment and gentle reassurance, Mr. Yu, who had been tense for days, finally unburdened his psychological burden.
02 Benefits of standardized and precise treatment for patients
In June, Mr. Yu returned to the hospital for a follow-up examination after completing the phased treatment as prescribed by the doctor. After comparing the patient's imaging examination results before and after treatment, Professor Yang Nong stated that the patient's pulmonary tumor nodules had shrunk, which preliminarily verified the scientific and precise nature of the early personalized diagnosis and treatment plan.
Based on the review results and the patient's physical condition, Professor Yang Nong optimized the subsequent treatment plan: continuing to take targeted oral drugs to precisely target the tumor, initiating radiotherapy for the primary lesion in the lungs, and regularly using monoclonal antibodies to inhibit bone destruction and prevent the progression of bone metastasis. The entire treatment plan is progressive and focused, prioritizing the resolution of pain and bone damage caused by bone metastasis, stabilizing the critical condition, and then precisely targeting the primary tumor in the lungs, achieving systemic treatment throughout the body.
As the treatment progressed steadily, Mr. Yu's symptoms of low back pain gradually alleviated, his physical condition continued to improve, and various follow-up examination indicators showed positive trends. From initially struggling to walk and experiencing a mental breakdown, he has now achieved a stable condition and regained his confidence.
"When I first went to see Professor Yang for a consultation in early April, I had difficulty walking, and when I learned that I had lung cancer metastasis, I was completely at a loss," Mr. Yu said with emotion. "At that time, Professor Yang told me that there was a chance for treatment, and I couldn't believe it at first. After persisting with treatment for some time, my back pain has gradually eased, and my physical condition has been improving. Professor Yang not only gave me a scientific treatment plan, but also gave me the courage and hope to fight against the disease."
03 Experts remind: be vigilant for unexplained waist and leg pain
Professor Yang Nong reminds us that in clinical practice, although cases like Mr. Yu's, where "the lung lesion is small and asymptomatic, but bone metastasis occurs first," are rare, they are highly prone to misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.
Lung cancer does not necessarily present with pulmonary symptoms such as coughing, hemoptysis, and chest tightness. In fact, some patients with lung adenocarcinoma have occult primary lesions that are small in size, with almost no pulmonary symptoms, yet the tumor can metastasize to distant sites through the bloodstream. Bone metastasis and brain metastasis can both be the initial symptoms of advanced lung cancer.
If you experience persistent back pain, leg pain, or shoulder pain without any external injuries or strain, and the pain intensifies at night and does not improve after rest, accompanied by fatigue and unexplained weight loss, even if there are no lung discomforts, it is recommended to undergo chest CT and bone-related screening in a timely manner to avoid delaying the diagnosis and treatment of the condition.
Expert Introduction
Yang Nong, Chief Physician, Doctoral Supervisor
Long-term employed experts of Hainan Cancer Hospital and Hainan Chengmei Hospital
He currently serves as Vice President of the Second People's Hospital of Hunan Province, head of the oncology department, and director of the "Yang Nong Famous Doctor Clinic" / "Yang Nong Famous Doctor Expert Team Clinic". He is also a chief expert of the National Major Scientific and Technological Special Project, a member of the Lung Cancer Special Committee of the National Tumor Quality Control Center, the director of the Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Treatment of Lung Cancer, and the director of the Hunan Provincial Respiratory Tumor Clinical Medicine Research Center. He has been dedicated to precision targeted therapy for lung cancer and gastrointestinal tumors, as well as to challenging, recurrent, and drug-resistant clinical cases, scientific research, and teaching for nearly 30 years.
He has been honored with the title of "National Famous Doctor - Excellent Style" in the 6th edition, and has been recommended as "Annual Good Doctor" by patients across the country for 8 consecutive years, as well as being awarded the title of "First Brain Doctor - Famous Doctor". He has authored national guidelines, boasts over 500,000 followers across the internet, and has achieved over 120 million views in cancer prevention and treatment science popularization.
Medical expertise
Specialties: Precision treatment of lung cancer, breakthrough in refractory, recurrent, and drug-resistant cases with brain metastasis; individualized and precise treatment of brain metastases from lung cancer; early diagnosis of pulmonary nodules and lung cancer; personalized and comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of solid tumors; clinical trials of the latest immunotherapy/targeted therapy drugs.
With nearly 30 years of experience in precision immunotherapy for lung cancer, he has led nearly 400 Phase I-III clinical trials of new anticancer drugs (including Class 1 national new drugs), and is particularly skilled in treating complex cases such as refractory, recurrent, and drug-resistant conditions, as well as brain metastases.
He is also proficient in the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of multiple cancer types, individualized, and interdisciplinary, covering a wide range of solid tumors (such as stomach, intestine, brain, etc.).
[Visit Information]
1. Clinic Hours and Location
July 18th, 14:00-17:00
Sixth Consultation Area of Hainan Cancer Hospital
2. [Appointment registration]
Follow the official account of Hainan Cancer Hospital for "appointment registration"
3. Health consultation
18976324546
[Friendly Reminder]
To help the expert understand your condition quickly, please bring the following:
1. ID card, medical insurance card, and mobile phone
2. Accompanying direct relatives (with decision-making authority)
3. Relevant previous examination results, organized chronologically
4. Paper medical records from previous consultations
5. Surgical case slides, wax blocks, or 20-30 glass slides
6. Pathological diagnosis report
7. Hospitalization medical records
8. Recent relevant examination results
9. The patients current treatment plan
10. The most urgent questions to consult