Gastric Cancer is the most predominant cancer found in Japanese population. The treatment on gastric cancer based illness is also one of the main specialties in Japan. Mr. VZ from Georgia shared with Med in Japan Newsletter of his experience.

After complete removal of patient’s stomach, cancer reappeared in multiple organs, including the esophagus, spleen, diaphragm, liver, and small intestine. Based upon medical records provided, and believing that surgery was not an option, the Japanese physician recommended chemotherapy. Upon receiving a CT scan after arrival in Japan, however, it became clear that I had only a single tumor in one location. Injection chemotherapy was administered two times, followed by Titanium silicate-1 chemotherapy (TS-1), an oral anticancer drug, and I was monitored for changes in condition and side effects with care from Japanese medical staffs.

Two weeks after the commencement of treatment, I was discharged from the hospital and took up residence in a nearby monthly rental apartment. Treatment and monitoring continued on an out-patient basis up until almost two months from the arrival. In the beginning, the doctor was concerned about the side effects of TS-1, as these are typically stronger in Caucasians than in Orientals; however, I was relatively unaffected. Furthermore, as the treatment appeared to be having a positive effect, including a reduction in the tumor level marker, I was deemed well enough to return home. TS-1 therapy, as it is administered orally, does not require hospitalization and can be continued by the patient at home. But since the drug was developed in Japan and is not yet available in the Republic of Georgia, I decided to hand-carry a half-year supply, which I continue to self-administer.