A Loving Journey Fighting a 10cm Liver Metastasis in Late-Stage Cancer | Patient Story
Just past forty, I thought the second half of my life was just beginning, but fate struck me a heavy blow. In March 2023, I was diagnosed with sigmoid colon cancer that had already metastasized to my liver. The liver lesion was nearly 10 cm in diameter, placing an enormous burden on my body. My life hung by a thread; no doctor dared to say there was a chance for surgery, nor could anyone predict how long I had left. Fortunately, I have made it through two years. Even though hope seemed slim at the start, the ending has been a happy one.
From April to July 2023, I underwent six cycles of chemotherapy in the medical oncology department at Peking University Cancer Hospital (Beizhong), which earned me a precious opportunity for surgery.
In August 2023, guided by my doctors' assessments, I seized the optimal surgical window and successfully underwent a combined liver and bowel resection at Beizhong's Nanjiao Branch.
A postoperative follow-up in September 2023 showed no evidence of disease. From September to November 2023, I completed four additional chemotherapy cycles at Beizhong.
In December 2023, a multidisciplinary team at Beizhong evaluated my excellent response and approved the conclusion of treatment. I have since attended regular follow-ups.
By March 2025, I had completed five follow-up visits, all clear. The "monster" seems to be in hiding, marking a temporary victory in this battle.
To this day, the anxiety before chemotherapy, the pain during treatment, and the postoperative wound discomfort have gradually faded from memory. Yet, the meticulous care from every doctor I met on this journey, and the quiet support from my family and friends, remain vividly clear in my heart, forever cherished.
Author | Nanxing
Editor | Guangguang, Xianning
「 Part I: Discharged from Nankai Hospital After Just One Week 」
In March 2023, during a routine abdominal ultrasound at a community hospital in Jinnan, Tianjin, an irregular, massive echoic mass was found in my liver. The doctor told me there was a fist-sized lesion and strongly advised me to go to a tertiary hospital immediately for further detailed examinations.
Heeding the doctor's advice, I wasted no time. The very next day, I went alone to the outpatient clinic of Director Jin in the Hepatobiliary Surgery Department at Nankai Hospital. After understanding my situation, he immediately arranged blood tests and a liver MRI. The scheduling at Nankai Hospital was quite efficient: blood tests were done the same day, and the MRI was scheduled for early morning three days later.
After the MRI, I printed my blood test results from a self-service kiosk. My complete blood count and liver function were normal, but my CEA and CA199 levels were as high as 500, severely exceeding the normal range. At that time, I didn't fully understand what these two markers meant, but my mind already reacted: a loud ringing in my ears faintly warned me that something was terribly wrong with my body.
Early the next morning after the MRI, accompanied by my husband, we returned to see Director Jin. He was extremely gentle and told us not to worry, saying that nothing was confirmed yet (I initially thought he meant benign vs. malignant, but in hindsight, I believe he was unsure if it was primary liver cancer). He planned to consult with several other hepatobiliary directors to review the imaging together. An hour later, when we saw Director Jin again, he informed us that the situation was complex and recommended immediate hospitalization for further tests and treatment.
The news that I needed to be hospitalized immediately was so sudden that my husband and I finally realized the severity of my condition. That evening, we requested leave from our company leaders, and the next morning, I handed over my work to colleagues. Around 10 a.m., after receiving a call from Nankai Hospital's inpatient department, I quickly packed a small red suitcase I usually used for business trips and headed to the hospital. Assuming liver surgery was inevitable, I called my brother in Sichuan, hoping he could come stay with me during the operation. If anything happened, I needed my family by my side.
My attending physician in the ward was Dr. Feng. He carefully asked about any recent fatigue, nausea, or weight loss. He arranged more blood tests, prescribed an IV drip to protect and soothe the liver, and scheduled an abdominal ultrasound for the next day.
As expected, the ultrasound results were not encouraging. Dr. Feng recommended a whole-body PET-CT scan. The scan was conducted at a partner facility, and the service was excellent: a business car picked me up and dropped me off, the staff were friendly and clear in their communication, the process was seamless, and the report and disc were mailed directly to my home.
Dr. Feng received my PET-CT results the very next morning. After speaking with my family, he scheduled a colonoscopy for the following day. Drinking the bowel prep solution wasn't as unbearable as I had imagined. I didn't feel weak or exhausted, just found the taste a bit odd. I drank plenty of water that evening and the next morning, making frequent trips to the bathroom. The nurses were incredibly responsible, insisting that the stool must be completely clear. The nursing staff at Nankai were truly meticulous and patient.
The colonoscopy was performed under sedation, so I felt nothing throughout. I lay down, adjusted my position, put on an oxygen mask, and fell into a deep sleep. When the doctor woke me up, the procedure was already over. He advised me to return to the ward in a wheelchair, but I insisted I was fine, could stand steadily, and felt no discomfort. At that moment, I had no idea that the doctor had taken several biopsy samples from my intestine during the procedure. I felt absolutely no pain.
The night before the colonoscopy, my brother traveled all the way from Sichuan to Tianjin. After the procedure, he and my husband went to speak with the doctor. They talked for a long time. They didn't tell me what was discussed, but I could see my husband was somewhat overwhelmed, his eyes red. My brother, two years older, remained calm. He quietly told me, "Sister, let's get discharged. If we have surgery here at Nankai Hospital, too much of the liver would be removed. Let's go to another hospital and get a second opinion from other experts." They didn't mention the word "cancer" at all. I didn't ask further, but I knew it wasn't good news, so I followed my brother's advice and was discharged.
After a one-week stay at Nankai Hospital, having completed the PET-CT and colonoscopy biopsy, I was essentially diagnosed with late-stage sigmoid colon cancer with liver metastasis. Regarding the treatment plan, my family preferred to seek out a specialized oncology hospital.
「 Part II: Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy at Beizhong Opens the Door to Surgery 」
Immediately after, I managed to get an extra appointment with Director Li in the colorectal surgery department at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, who confirmed the colon cancer with liver metastasis. Fortunately, I was able to book an appointment with President Gu from the colorectal surgery department at Beizhong via Haodf. President Gu, around 60 years old, was very kind and spoke gently. He explained my overall condition in great detail and informed me that I needed to provide my colon biopsy pathology report, complete genetic testing and immunohistochemistry, and schedule a multidisciplinary team (MDT) consultation once the results were out. I am especially grateful to President Gu. Although I ultimately did not continue treatment under his direct care, his guidance and connections laid an excellent foundation for my subsequent treatment.
About a week later, on March 30, 2023, the MDT consultation at Beizhong's VIP clinic, initiated by President Gu, began. Participating experts included President Gu (colorectal surgery), Director Xing (hepatobiliary surgery), Director Wang (gastroenterology), Director Gao (radiology), and Director Zhu (interventional radiology). I didn't realize at the time how incredibly lucky I was to have such top-tier experts reviewing my case. I waited outside while my brother and husband participated. After the consultation, Director Xing suggested handing the case over to gastroenterology. Director Wang wanted to see the patient, so I was finally called in.
Director Wang was young, around 40, with a slightly round face and a crisp, decisive manner of speaking. He directly told me to use a strong regimen: FOLFIRI + cetuximab, every two weeks, to fight for a surgical opportunity. He said if I decided to follow his treatment plan, he would order baseline tests and arrange a hospital bed. We immediately agreed to proceed under his care.
Director Gao stayed in the consultation room. With slightly graying hair and a lean face, he joked when I walked in, "You don't look like a patient at all." I nodded and smiled, thinking to myself that I really didn't feel sick. Who would have guessed such a massive problem was hiding inside me?
Beizhong's first-visit channel scheduled my chest and abdominal CT for April 3, 2023, with results available on April 6. Meanwhile, I waited for the pathology review results from Beizhong's pathology department. It wasn't until April 14 that I was finally successfully admitted to Beizhong and received my first chemotherapy session.
Seeing my name on the bedside tag felt so unreal. How could a vibrant woman just past 40 end up in a cancer hospital? There were seven patients in the ward. The bed to my north was occupied by an auntie around 60, wearing a thin cotton cap, with almost no hair left. She had been undergoing treatment for nearly 10 years and had a full-time caregiver. The bed to my south was an auntie nearing 70, who had bowel surgery the previous year and was readmitted for chemotherapy after a recent scan showed lung metastasis.
Being diagnosed with colon cancer felt like falling into a bottomless abyss. Everything was unknown. I didn't know how dangerous this disease was, nor did I want to. I left everything to the doctors and my most trusted family, focusing solely on cooperating with the treatment.
From the start of treatment, my CEA and CA199 levels plummeted dramatically, halving with each test. After four chemotherapy cycles, both markers dropped to around 50. An enhanced abdominal CT showed the liver tumor had shrunk to 5.6 cm in diameter, which was excellent progress. However, the medical team still deemed me ineligible for surgery, so I continued with two more chemotherapy cycles.
On July 20, 2023, after six chemotherapy cycles, the evaluation finally brought good news: the liver tumor shrank from 9.7 cm to 4.8 cm, CEA dropped to 8, and CA199 to 15. After expert team evaluation, the liver burden was significantly reduced, and surgery was approved.
「 Part III: Seizing the Surgical Window for a Successful Combined Liver and Bowel Resection 」
Although I finally received the precious hospitalization slip for hepatobiliary surgery at Beizhong, the overall bed waiting time was quite long, pushing the surgery to October. Additionally, waiting for Beizhong would require at least three more chemotherapy cycles. By then, I was already feeling exhausted and somewhat irritable on this "monster-fighting" journey, losing my patience.
After asking around through various channels, I finally learned in late July that Director Qian from Beizhong's Second Hepatobiliary Department also had excellent surgical skills and could arrange the surgery sooner at the Nanjiao Hospital. So, I decisively went to Nanjiao Hospital to consult Director Qian.
Director Qian is a young Ph.D., in his 40s, with a crisp and decisive communication style. Just as I trusted Director Wang in gastroenterology, I chose to trust him. Given the large size of my liver tumor, I needed a bold and decisive surgeon. I immediately made the bold decision to undergo the combined liver and bowel resection at Nanjiao Hospital. While it was a slight regret not to be operated on by the top expert, Director Xing, I have no regrets about my choice.
On August 3, 2023, I was successfully admitted to Nanjiao Hospital. My CEA had dropped to 4, and CA199 to 11, both within normal ranges. On August 8, I underwent the combined liver and bowel resection. The surgery went smoothly. I entered the operating room at 8 a.m. for preparation, was anesthetized around 8:30 a.m., the surgery finished around 11 a.m., and I was back in the ward by noon.
Although a pain pump was used after surgery, once the anesthesia wore off, the wound pain was still unbearable. I whimpered throughout the night, feeling completely unable to use my abdominal muscles or move at all. Looking down at the tubes and bags attached to my body, I felt paralyzed and in need of 24-hour care.
After surgery, my son stayed by my side the entire time. During the day, my brother was there, and my husband came to visit after work. Three men revolving around me made me feel quite blessed.
For the first week post-op, I received IV antibiotics, albumin, and large fluid bags from morning till night. Every morning, blood was drawn, and the medical staff carefully monitored my urine output and drainage tube volumes. On the second morning, a nurse helped change my abdominal bandage. By the afternoon of the second day, my urinary catheter was removed, and I requested to get out of bed and move around.
Even after the catheter was removed, I still had four drainage tubes (from the intestine, liver, gallbladder, and subphrenic area) plus the IV line. Walking made everything clink and clatter. Pushing the IV pole with one hand and holding my belly with the other, I slowly shuffled down the hospital corridor. The postoperative weakness made me fully realize I was indeed a patient, but my heart was filled with hope, longing for a tumor-free recovery so I could once again be a healthy, free person.
Recovery at Nanjiao went smoothly. Starting on the fourth day post-op, the drainage tubes were gradually removed. After passing gas and stool on the fifth day, I could drink rice soup. By the sixth day, I could get in and out of bed independently. On the seventh day, all blood test results met the discharge criteria. Before leaving, during a final wound dressing change, I saw a straight "1"-shaped incision quietly winding across my abdomen, from the center of my chest to just below my navel, about 30 cm long. Small staples held the wound neatly together. On August 16, I was finally discharged.
The postoperative pathology report showed a well-differentiated ulcerative adenocarcinoma of the colon; the liver tumor measured 3.5 cm in diameter with a 50% necrosis rate. At the one-month follow-up, my CEA dropped to less than 0.3. Following medical advice, I continued with four postoperative chemotherapy cycles using the FOLFIRI + cetuximab regimen. In December 2023, after an MDT consultation organized by Director Wang in gastroenterology, I was informed that I had met the criteria to conclude treatment.
Eight months of standardized treatment finally gave me my life back. My family and friends felt I had truly come back to life. I am deeply grateful to my own resilient heart. So what if it's stage IV colon cancer? Late-stage cancer isn't always a death sentence. The road ahead is long, and I will face it with the firm belief that "cancer can be defeated!"
「 Part IV: Caring for Me Became My Son's Most Important Task 」
When I was diagnosed in March 2023, it was a critical period for my son's high school entrance exam (Zhongkao). To allow him to focus entirely on his studies, we chose to keep my illness a secret. Fortunately, he boarded at school during the week and only came home on weekends. Each chemotherapy session was scheduled while he was at school. When he came home on weekends and curiously asked why my face was red and why I was drinking Chinese medicine, I simply told him I had an allergy.
From June 17 to 19, 2023, during his Zhongkao, I stayed at a hotel to accompany him, waking him up early and driving him to the exam center. Despite the hot weather, I wore long sleeves to hide my PICC line and changed clothes out of his sight. Focused on his studies, he didn't notice anything unusual.
After the exam, my husband had a private talk with our son and told him about my illness. He said that when things happen, children must face them positively. Upon learning the truth, my son cried bitterly, then said he wanted to accompany me through chemotherapy, assuring me that good things happen to good people and I would be fine. He also worked hard and successfully got into a key high school in Tianjin, thankfully not letting my illness derail his important life milestone.
That summer, my 15-year-old son matured greatly. He voluntarily accompanied me to chemotherapy and PICC line maintenance, cared for me meticulously during surgery, changed my bandages, brought me hot water to wash my face and feet, helped me in and out of bed, walked with me in the corridor, and took daily walks with me after returning home. He also showed me funny short videos every day to cheer me up.
That summer, caring for me became my son's most important task.
On September 1, 2023, I took him to school for the new semester. Although my abdomen was still wrapped in bandages and the wound still ached faintly, walking through the campus of his key high school and seeing the honor wall of past college entrance exam achievers filled me with confidence in his future. I hoped my body would recover quickly so he could focus on his high school studies and smoothly enter his ideal university.
[ February 2025 follow-up successfully passed, initial battle against the monster won ]
「 Part V: Acknowledgments 」
One day in August 2023, after my surgery, I accidentally came across Director Han's articles online. It felt like seeing a window of light and hope from a dark abyss, so I applied to join the Panda Group. After joining, I learned a great deal about colon cancer, watched many of Director Han's online Q&A sessions and expert patient education videos, and benefited immensely. I saw many volunteers, patients, and families actively answering questions in the group, sharing joys like family and friends, and helping each other through sorrows.
The Panda Group is a community of boundless love.
Thank you to Panda and all the friends. You gave me the right perspective after my late-stage colon cancer diagnosis: neither blindly optimistic nor overly pessimistic, but filled with hope for a cure.
Thank you to my family, friends, and colleagues for your care and support, which kept me from falling in the face of disaster and gave me the courage to face the long road ahead positively!
Dedicated to all the strong mothers fighting their battles on the cancer journey. Wishing all mothers a happy Mother's Day! 🌷🌷🌷
To protect patient privacy, names used in this article are pseudonyms. Images containing patient portraits are used with the patient's authorization and may not be used without permission.
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