Xiao Chen (pseudonym), a 35-year-old male and a prominent lawyer from Malaysia, traveled to Taiwan for nasopharyngeal carcinoma treatment. Facing a second recurrence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma, he was cautious. Through online searches and extensive inquiries, he learned that Taiwan has vast experience treating nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients, rendering it almost as routine as managing a common cold. Furthermore, our hospital possesses proton therapy machines, a facility available in only a few Asian countries. Xiao Chen then provided our hospital with his relevant medical reports from his first nasopharyngeal carcinoma treatment in Malaysia—including pathology slides, whole-body PET scans, and initial photon therapy records. Accompanied by his wife and filled with hope, he traveled across the ocean to Taiwan Chang Gung Memorial Hospital seeking proton therapy.
Upon Xiao Chen’s arrival in Taiwan, our center immediately arranged outpatient consultations and relevant examinations with his specified physicians, Dr. Chang Tung-Chieh and chemotherapy specialist Dr. Hsieh Chia-Hsun. Following the recommendations of both physicians, Xiao Chen underwent a whole-body PET scan and blood tests once again to serve as baseline indicators for his proton therapy and chemotherapy. Dr. Chang Tung-Chieh, with an approachable and humorous tone, explained the re-irradiation treatment plan to Xiao Chen and his wife, who appeared strong on the surface. Dr. Chang recommended a combined regimen of 33 proton therapy sessions and 33 photon therapy sessions, paired with weekly chemotherapy concurrent with radiation therapy to achieve disease control. During the course of treatment, Xiao Chen experienced almost none of the skin discomfort typically caused by prolonged radiation exposure, which greatly surprised him. Based on his previous experience with photon therapy in Malaysia, severe radiation dermatitis at the irradiated site was quite common.
As his treatment in Taiwan drew to a close, the tumor on the inner side of Xiao Chen’s neck gradually shrank. By simply maintaining a normal daily routine and acquiring proper knowledge regarding medication, Xiao Chen will only need to monitor post-radiation side effects—including regular dental follow-ups—after returning to his home country. With a treatment outcome like this, who can say that a cancer recurrence is an incurable disease?
Proton radiation therapy is currently the world’s most advanced technique for tumor radiotherapy. Compared to conventional radiation therapy, proton radiation therapy causes significantly less damage to healthy cells surrounding the lesion site, resulting in fewer side effects. Many highly treatable tumors can achieve high cure rates through proton therapy (either alone or combined with surgery and chemotherapy). Beyond improving quality of life both during and after treatment, proton therapy also reduces the risk of developing secondary malignancies caused by the “low-to-moderate radiation doses” delivered to normal tissues in conventional radiotherapy.
