Editor’s note: This article was originally published in 2009. Medical statistics and screening guidance have been updated where necessary.
When Mr. Wang was 50, he learned that he had stage IV colorectal cancer. But he did not give up. He underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy and, at his doctors’ recommendation, changed his lifestyle and began eating more fruits and vegetables.
By the time this story was originally published 36 years later, Mr. Wang was 86. Affectionately known as “Great-Grandpa Wang,” he remained strong and healthy aside from some hearing loss.
Although he had once faced advanced-stage cancer, Wang said he still wanted to compete with everyone else — and live to 120.
At one competition, he showed his agility by clearing hurdles and even performing slam dunks, earning the nickname “Iron Man Against Cancer.” At the time, he was described as both the longest-surviving and oldest colorectal cancer patient in Taiwan.
What was his secret?
“It’s nothing special,” Wang said.
He walked every morning, ate balanced meals with plenty of high-fiber fruits and vegetables, and cooked at home whenever possible. Most importantly, he never turned to questionable folk remedies. Instead, he followed his doctors’ instructions and actively pursued treatment.
Colorectal cancer remains the third most common cancer worldwide. When the original article was published, it ranked first among cancers in Taiwan by number of new cases. According to Taiwan’s latest cancer registry data, it now ranks second, behind lung cancer.
The original report noted that about 20 percent of patients were already at an advanced stage when diagnosed, sometimes with cancer that had spread to the liver, leaving many feeling that there was little hope.
Dr. Chen Ming-Jen, then with the Chinese Oncology Society, now known as the Taiwan Oncology Society, said more than 500 patients each year were being diagnosed with advanced colorectal cancer that had spread to the liver. Even so, he explained, patients whose liver tumors could be surgically removed still had a chance of being cured.
Chen also pointed to clinical research available at the time involving patients with colorectal cancer that had spread to the liver. A combination of an anti-angiogenic monoclonal antibody, an oral chemotherapy drug, and a platinum-based drug caused liver tumors to shrink or disappear in 78 percent of patients in the study. Among patients whose tumors had initially been considered inoperable, about one in three later became eligible for potentially curative liver surgery.
The findings offered renewed hope to patients with advanced disease.
Lai Ji-Ming, then CEO of the Taiwan Cancer Foundation, warned that colorectal cancer symptoms can sometimes be mistaken for hemorrhoids, delaying medical attention.
Blood in or on the stool and persistent changes in bowel habits can be signs of colorectal cancer, but they can also have other causes. Symptoms alone cannot reliably distinguish colorectal cancer from hemorrhoids, so anyone experiencing concerning or persistent symptoms should seek medical evaluation.
Early detection remains important. Current U.S. guidelines recommend that adults at average risk begin regular colorectal cancer screening at age 45. Several screening options are available, including stool-based tests and colonoscopy. People with a family history of colorectal cancer or other risk factors may need to begin screening earlier or follow a different screening schedule and should discuss their individual risk with a healthcare professional.
Translated by Cecilia
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