Expat hails 'Shanghai solution' lung cancer treatment

A patient from the United Kingdom who was treated last month for his multiple lung cancer nodules at Shanghai East Hospital using a world-pioneering "Shanghai solution" has recovered well, doctors said on Monday, following the patient's first follow-up check.

The patient, Andrew Car, said he felt great, with his daily activities and diet back to normal. He expressed a high level of confidence in his prognosis.

"I resumed work just five days after receiving the ablation treatment," said Car, 57, a car body designer.

"And after all this process, I've become more confident of the outcome, and I feel that it made perfect sense just to stay in Shanghai for the treatment," said Car, who has lived in Shanghai for 11 years.

Li Qiang, director of the respiratory and critical care medicine department at the hospital, said the patient had over 10 nodules in both lungs. The "Shanghai solution" — pleuroscopy-assisted early lung cancer ablation, or PAELCA — provided a life-changing opportunity for him.

On March 21, Li's team ablated six nodules in the patient's left lung within four hours.

"Today's CT scans showed that all the six lesions have been completely ablated, with some previously mushroom-like nodules now transformed into solid necrotic tissue," said Li, adding that a similar ablation treatment on the patient's other lung is scheduled in a few months.

"The patient's recovery condition also demonstrated the advantages of such minimally invasive ablation treatment. In comparison, traditional surgeries or radiation therapy may significantly impact a patient's lung function and quality of life," he said.

About six months ago, the nodules in Car's lungs were detected during a routine check-up. Considering his family history of lung cancer, doctors recommended immediate surgery. Car said he had never thought of returning to the UK for treatment. He placed his trust in Shanghai's medical expertise.

Tailoring the treatment to Car's case, Li's team modified the traditional ablation, introducing a novel approach. Under general anesthesia, they made a 5-millimeter incision between the ribs on one side and inserted a dual-lumen endotracheal tube to immobilize the lung, enabling precise targeting of the nodules.

Additionally, closed thoracic drainage was performed prior to the treatment to promptly address pneumothorax or bleeding, significantly enhancing safety of the treatment, said the doctors.

Car praised the top-notch medical experience in Shanghai. "The first time when I saw doctor Li, he installed me with confidence, and he really made an effort to explain the procedure. Moreover, his English is quite good."

PAELCA has been performed at Shanghai East Hospital since 2000 and was promoted nationwide in 2004. The treatment was also demonstrated to doctors from Southeast Asia, with clinical applications in some local hospitals already, said Li.

"Last year, we presented this technique at a global industry conference held in Indonesia, sparking interest among local professionals. Earlier this year, a livestreaming platform in Singapore was established, enabling doctors in Singapore as well as other Southeast Asian countries to watch our ablation treatment online," he said.

Li expressed confidence in the technique, adding that his team aims to expand its application to more countries in the future.