Skipping Surgery: A Stage IV Ovarian Cancer Story from the Philippines
An Unnoticed Warning Sign
Erlinda Francisco, a 73-year-old woman from Cebu in the Philippines, first noticed swelling in her lower legs back in April 2018. At the time, nothing else seemed wrong, so she brushed it off as a minor issue rather than a warning sign of something more serious.
By December of that year, her son noticed her stomach had become visibly distended. She wasn’t in pain, only fatigued, but she also began to experience unusual vaginal discharge more frequently. None of these symptoms struck her as signs of a gynecological cancer.
A Difficult Diagnosis and an Unwanted Recommendation
In early March 2019, Erlinda finally sought medical attention and underwent a CT scan. Doctors suspected ovarian cancer and advised a treatment path combining surgery with chemotherapy. Concerned about the harsh side effects associated with chemotherapy, she declined this recommendation and instead began looking into treatment options in the United States.
A Path to Guangzhou
Her plans shifted after a conversation with her son-in-law, who mentioned a former colleague diagnosed with stage IV liver cancer who had recovered well after treatment at St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou. “On hearing that, I was persuaded to go to Guangzhou for treatment and I made the decision without a second thought,” Erlinda recalled.
She reached out to the hospital’s representative office in Manila and spoke with Dr. Lim, which helped her settle on traveling to China. While Filipino citizens typically wait about a week to process a Chinese visa, she was able to obtain hers within a single day thanks to assistance from the hospital’s team.
Arrival and Treatment Planning
Erlinda arrived at St. Stamford Modern Cancer Hospital Guangzhou on March 17, 2019, accompanied by relatives. After reviewing her case, the hospital’s multidisciplinary team (MDT) designed a combined minimally invasive treatment plan built around three approaches:
- Interventional therapy
- Cryotherapy
- Particle implantation (particle knife)
This treatment plan brought her back to the hospital for what became her fifth round of admission. Her attending physician, Dr. Wang Xiang, reported that the tumors in her abdominal cavity had noticeably decreased in size, her tumor marker levels had normalized, and her overall physical condition was steadily improving.
A Calm and Reassuring Experience
Before arriving, Erlinda had only gathered information about the hospital through online reports and Facebook posts. It wasn’t until she went through the treatment herself and spoke with other patients on-site that she came to appreciate just how advanced the care was.
She described being fully conscious throughout her interventional therapy session, even carrying on a conversation with her doctor during the procedure. “I said thank you doctor right after the procedure and he smiled with great relief. There was never discomfort during or after treatment,” she shared.
Gratitude and a Message of Hope
When it came time for her to be discharged, Erlinda made a point of thanking the medical team who had cared for her. She spoke warmly of Dr. Wang’s consistent attentiveness and the overall thoughtfulness of the nursing staff throughout her stay.
Reflecting on her journey, Erlinda offered encouragement to other patients facing a cancer diagnosis, emphasizing that staying optimistic makes a real difference. She credited her faith for giving her the strength and courage to pursue treatment, and expressed hope that sharing her story might inspire others walking a similar path.
