Hello everyone, this is DengYueMed. Today I want to share a truly inspiring and powerful real-life cancer story — that of Mr. Chen (pseudonym), a man in his 60s, who faced life-threatening tumor rupture bleeding and a sudden cerebral infarction, yet turned the tide through the multidisciplinary team at Shanghai GaoBo Cancer Hospital, precise drug therapy, surgery, and unwavering trust between doctors and patient.
In May 2025, Mr. Chen was admitted with stage III dedifferentiated liposarcoma in the maxillofacial region. The tumor had already invaded the skull base, orbital area, and left maxilla. On the very night of admission, the tumor ulcerated and caused minor oozing; after emergency local management, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. But the next morning, massive active bleeding occurred — bright red blood gushing continuously. Dr. Guan Ming, Director of the Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor Department, quickly reported to Prof. Yao Yang. The interventional team performed emergency vascular embolization to stop the hemorrhage, buying precious time for further treatment. Yet the doctors cautioned that his poor overall condition made the prognosis for subsequent anti-tumor therapy uncertain.
Fate struck again: during his second admission, he suffered a cerebral infarction.
The Tough Decision: Trust as the Foundation
For a 60+ patient with such complexity, continuing chemotherapy carried extremely high risks. Dr. Guan Ming admitted his inner struggle — bleeding just controlled, then a stroke; resuming chemo felt like walking on a cliff edge. The family, with tears in their eyes, said: “We’ve received three critical condition notices; we feel we’ve reached the end. But if we don’t fight, how will we ever know there’s no hope?” Prof. Yao Yang emphasized: “If the tumor isn’t controlled, it will keep growing and ulcerating — there won’t even be a last chance left.”
It was this persistence and mutual trust that prevented the team from giving up.
The team designed a neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimen: alternating VAD (Vincristine + Doxorubicin) and IE (Ifosfamide + Etoposide), with dose reductions in stages, plus intensified management of side effects and nutritional support.
Why these drugs? Dedifferentiated liposarcoma is relatively sensitive to certain chemotherapies. Preoperative chemo aims to shrink the tumor, downstage it, and create conditions for complete surgical resection.
- VAD regimen:
- Vincristine (长春新碱): Inhibits microtubule formation, halting cell division (neurotoxicity risk, so dose lowered).
- Doxorubicin (多柔比星, Adriamycin): Intercalates DNA and inhibits topoisomerase II to kill cancer cells (cardiotoxicity requires monitoring, hence cautious dosing).
- IE regimen:
- Ifosfamide (异环磷酰胺): An alkylating agent activated in the liver to cross-link DNA and block replication (usually paired with mesna for bladder protection against hemorrhagic cystitis, standard supportive care even if not explicitly mentioned).
- Etoposide (依托泊苷): Topoisomerase II inhibitor that stabilizes the enzyme-DNA complex, causing double-strand breaks; synergistic with ifosfamide against sarcoma cells.
After 5 cycles of alternating chemotherapy, imaging showed partial response (PR) — the tumor had clearly shrunk, opening the surgical window!
During the 2025 National Day holiday, the team performed a highly complex surgery: complete resection of the tumor involving the skull base, orbit, and left maxilla, followed by reconstruction using a split-thickness skin graft from the left cheek and a skin flap from the right lower limb — clearing the disease while preserving facial appearance and function as much as possible. Post-op, Prof. Yao Yang immediately confirmed “margins basically negative,” relieving everyone. Adjuvant postoperative radiotherapy followed promptly to eliminate any residual microscopic cells and reduce recurrence/metastasis risk (radiotherapy dose is fixed and cannot be repeated, so timing is critical).
Today, Mr. Chen can eat, drink, and walk normally again, with no further major bleeding episodes. Survival has been significantly extended, and quality of life greatly improved. This is no miracle — it is the result of multidisciplinary collaboration (MDT) + precise application of chemotherapy drugs + deep doctor-patient trust.
Prof. Yao Yang often says: “In cancer treatment, the timing for surgery, chemo, or radiotherapy is fleeting. Every cycle of chemo must be treasured; surgery cannot be reopened repeatedly; radiotherapy has a fixed dose limit. Doctors can see these windows, but they must be discussed together with the patient.” These words capture the essence of oncology: professionalism combined with compassion equals hope.
This case reminds me once more: dedifferentiated liposarcoma’s biology makes it prone to recurrence and metastasis — there’s no “one-and-done” cure — but with close follow-up and timely intervention, many patients can transform “terminal” disease into a manageable chronic condition. Drugs like doxorubicin, ifosfamide, etc., have toxicities but, when used precisely, often create those pivotal turning points.
If you or a loved one is facing a similar challenge, remember: seek multidisciplinary expert opinions and seize every treatment window. The next breakthrough may be just ahead. Drug choices must always be individualized, weighing benefits against side effects.
Feel free to share your own cancer experiences or questions in the comments — let’s cheer on more warriors together!
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