讀後心得

Lung cancer has become the leading cause of death in Kaohsiung City. Statistics show that approximately 2 people die from lung cancer every half day, with a mortality rate higher than the national average. Due to Kaohsiung's long and narrow geography, patients face distance issues when seeking medical treatment, and many give up on treatment for this reason. Wang Jin-zou, the deputy director of Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, pointed out that the hospital has taken over City Dato Hospital this year, aiming to provide more convenient treatment options. He emphasized that cancer treatment should be more proactive, utilizing genetic testing for targeted therapy, and has made immunotherapy the first choice for patients with no tumor gene mutations, which helps improve patients' quality of life.

Lung cancer has gradually become the "new national disease." According to relevant statistics, nearly 2 people in Kaohsiung City die from lung cancer every half day, with a mortality rate higher than the national average. Doctors analyze that due to the long and narrow topography of Kaohsiung, patients face significant challenges in travel distance, despite having sufficient treatment resources.

According to the statistics on the top ten causes of death among the population, about 28 people die from lung cancer in Taiwan every day; in Kaohsiung City alone, 1,298 people died from lung cancer in a single year, equivalent to nearly 2 people every half day succumbing to this disease, and its mortality rate exceeds the standardized mortality rate for lung cancer nationwide.

Dr. Wang Jinzhao pointed out in a press release that the geographic limitations in Kaohsiung result in inconveniences for patients during treatment, which also becomes a burden for their caregivers and families, leading some patients to choose to abandon treatment. He mentioned that for many patients, the travel time for follow-up visits can take up to 1 hour, which can be quite taxing. Previously, professional cancer centers in Kaohsiung were not located in the city center, and residents living in the city center also experience difficulties in returning for follow-ups.

To improve the lung cancer treatment environment in Kaohsiung City, Wang Jinzhao revealed that Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital has officially taken over the operation management of Municipal Datong Hospital as of January 1 this year, aiming to provide citizens with more precise medical services, allowing patients and their families to have more convenient treatment options.

With the advent of the era of precision treatment, cancer is no longer just about passive relief or prolonging survival; there should be proactive intervention in the early stages of the disease. For lung cancer, by testing the tumor genetic characteristics of patients, it is possible to determine the presence of genetic mutations and provide appropriate treatment based on the results to achieve optimal therapeutic effects.

For lung cancer patients without tumor gene mutations, immunotherapy has been prioritized as a recommended treatment method, applicable to both early- and late-stage patients. Wang Jinzhao explained that immunotherapy primarily utilizes immune checkpoint inhibitors to reactivate the patient's immune system, enabling it to recognize and attack cancer cells, thereby enhancing the action of immune cells to destroy cancer cells.

He also pointed out that clinical experience shows that some patients exhibit a "long-tail effect" after receiving treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors, continuously suppressing tumor deterioration and recurrence, allowing patients to enter a stable phase and prolong survival, further improving their quality of life.