The Stall
Maria (name changed) is 52, a school director from São Paulo. Diagnosed with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma in early 2025, she completed her initial cycle of cisplatin-based chemoradiation in Brazil. Her three-month restaging showed stable but not regressing residual disease — a result that left her oncology team uncertain about next steps.
The Second Opinion
Through a friend whose son had been treated in Shanghai, Maria contacted SSAnkang. Our team coordinated a multidisciplinary tumor board review across two partner centers — radiation oncology in Hefei (with proton capability) and medical oncology in Shanghai. Recommendations were unanimous: add a proton therapy boost to the residual disease, modify the systemic therapy to include immunotherapy, and reimage at 6 weeks.
Why Proton
Nasopharyngeal carcinoma sits adjacent to critical structures — brainstem, optic chiasm, salivary glands. Proton therapy's sharp dose falloff was the main reason the team recommended a boost; it would deliver tumoricidal dose to the residual lesion while sparing the structures already heavily exposed during her initial radiotherapy. See our proton therapy guide for the full indication framework.
The Trip
Maria flew São Paulo → Frankfurt → Beijing → Hefei (28 hours total, two layovers). Her husband traveled with her. They stayed in a serviced apartment for the duration of treatment.
The proton boost was 10 fractions over two weeks. Each fraction took 25 minutes, including immobilization and beam delivery. Side effects were milder than her initial photon course — only mild xerostomia (dry mouth) recurred briefly.
Concurrent Immunotherapy
She also began an immunotherapy regimen (PD-1 inhibitor) administered at the partner Shanghai center. We arranged the once-every-three-weeks infusions to align with her boost schedule, then continuing monthly back home with our coordination of remote monitoring.
The Six-Week Restaging
MRI six weeks post-boost: complete radiologic response of the residual lesion. PET-CT (see our PET-CT guide): no avid disease.
What Was Different
Maria came in expecting a hard sell on additional procedures. Instead, the conversations centered on what would and wouldn't change her outcome. Two recommendations she had braced for — surgical neck dissection of post-treatment lymph nodes that had been "watching" — were declined by the Hefei team. "Surgery would not change your survival; the response is already adequate" was the senior radiation oncologist's assessment. The board prioritized her quality of life over over-treatment.
Coming Home
Total in-China time: 24 days. Total cost: USD 38,000 (proton boost + immunotherapy + accommodation + coordination). Her local Brazilian oncologist is handling ongoing immunotherapy with our remote support and quarterly imaging review by the Shanghai team for the next 18 months.
Maria's Note
"I came for technology. I stayed because they listened."
Disclaimer: Patient name changed. Specific clinical details composited. Cancer outcomes vary significantly by case; this story should not be read as a guarantee of similar results.
