In the early summer of 2025, a young patient named Daniel (a pseudonym), who came from South America, crossed the ocean and came to the Oncology Department One of Yantai Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. Daniel was only 39 years old, but he was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer with multiple metastases (to the liver and bones), and his condition was severe and the treatment was extremely difficult. 
His choice was not accidental. In October 2024, Yantai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine signed an international cooperation agreement with the State University of Mexico and the Mexican University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, aiming to promote the dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine culture overseas. The Oncology Department One of Yantai Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as a national-level key specialty, has attracted foreign patients from countries like Mexico to come for treatment due to its unique combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment methods.

01.Multidisciplinary consultation combined with personalized treatment plans, integrating traditional Chinese and Western medicine to break through the treatment obstacles.

Facing the complex condition, the Oncology Department promptly initiated a multidisciplinary consultation (MDT), involving experts from the Imaging Department, Pathology Department, Surgery Department, Interventional Surgery Department, Acupuncture Department, and Gastrointestinal Disease Department. Through the remote consultation platform, they collaborated with top domestic oncology teams to precisely identify the metastatic lesions and tailor a treatment plan for Daniel.

The "dual-track parallel" treatment plan gradually became clear through the intellectual exchanges among experts: The Western medicine treatment takes chemotherapy as the "vanguard force", directly targeting the primary lesion in the pancreas and liver metastasis, and inhibiting the progression of the tumor; In the field of traditional Chinese medicine treatment, it transforms into a "logistical guardian", using "strengthening the body's defenses and eliminating evil" to weave a protective net - based on Daniel's constitution and condition, custom-made Chinese herbal decoctions (such as Clear Pancreas and Disperse Knots Decoction) are combined with acupuncture and massage to relieve cancer pain and chemotherapy side effects, and at the same time, according to the treatment stage, the dietary therapy (such as Strengthening the Spleen and Stomach Porridge, Nourishing Yin and Producing Fluid Decoction) is adjusted to enhance his physical condition.

02.Humanistic care knows no borders, and the safeguarding of the soul transcends languages.

Daniel couldn't understand Chinese and always stared blankly at the unfamiliar characters on the medical records. The oncology team patiently explained the condition and treatment principles to him using fluent English, hand-drawn charts and scenario simulations. The nurses recorded his emotional changes every day, and the attending doctor intervened to soothe his anxiety and alleviate his unease. 
During the treatment period, the department also arranged traditional Chinese medicine health lectures for Daniel's family, helping the entire family build confidence in fighting against cancer. Daniel once said, "At first, I thought cancer meant death, but the doctors here made me believe that there is still hope for life." During one ward visit, Daniel suddenly had red eyes and burst into tears because of the understanding and care of the medical staff. The medical staff gently held his hand and said, "You are not alone." The sunlight outside the window was streaming over the window sill, stretching the shadow of the white coat very long, like pairs of hands holding up hope.

03.Efficacy testifies to strength; a life turning point from despair to rebirth

After a month of comprehensive treatment, Daniel's tumor marker CA19-9 dropped sharply from 5058 U/mL at the time of admission to 1824 U/mL. His liver function indicators returned to normal, and the size of the metastatic lesions shrank. What was even more encouraging was that he regained his enthusiasm for life. Before being discharged, Daniel wrote a thank-you letter: "You used kindness and wisdom to allow me to embrace life again. Traditional Chinese medicine is not just medicine; it is also love that transcends cultures."

The case of Daniel is a vivid illustration of the "international standards + traditional Chinese medicine characteristics" treatment model of the Oncology Department 1 of Yantai City Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital. Director Tan Song of the Oncology Department 1 said, "We will continue to optimize the multi-disciplinary collaboration, promote the 'dual-track parallel' treatment plan, and improve the full-process services from precise diagnosis and treatment to humanistic care. We will continuously leverage the advantages of the national-level key specialty to make the combination of traditional Chinese and Western medicine diagnosis and treatment benefit more cancer patients." Just as Daniel said before returning to his country: "This place is not only a hospital, but also a harbor of life."