2024-01-01 23:30:00
General cancer
[아미랑]“Trusting in myself and trusting the doctor is the best shortcut to overcoming cancer.”
Reporter Kim Seo-hee
Entered 2024/01/02 08:30
Oh Hee-ok (left), who overcame stage 3 cervical cancer, and her doctor, Professor Park Seong-taek of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hallym University Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital./Photo = I met Oh Hee-ok (50, Geumcheon-gu, Seoul), who overcame stage 3 cervical cancer at Hallym University Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital. Hysterectomy, lymphadenectomy, six rounds of chemotherapy… . I overcame all the difficult treatment and am living a second life. I also spoke with his doctor, Professor Park Seong-taek of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hallym University Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital.
Cancer occurring within 2 years of cancer screening
Oh Hee-ok was first diagnosed with cancer in May 2014. A rash the size of millet appeared around the anus. She says her fatigue hasn’t gone away. Two years after her health checkup, she visited a hospital near her home out of a sense of relief. But then she was told to “go to a big hospital.” She immediately visited the obstetrics and gynecology department at Hallym University Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital. Her tests showed she had stage 2 cervical cancer.
Oh Hee-ok said she felt gloomy as soon as she heard the word cancer. Her hair turned gray and she couldn’t think, and she couldn’t even cry because she was so shocked that she had cancer. She was even more shocked because just two years earlier she had had a medical examination where she had been told that “her uterus was really clean.” But then she thought, ‘How could she have caught it early?’ and she had a strong will to seek treatment.
Cervical cancer is a common cancer in women, being called one of the three major cancers in women, along with breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Cervical cancer is classified into three stages depending on the progress of the cancer. If diagnosed with cancer, stages 1 and 2 are treated with surgery such as hysterectomy, and in stages 3 and higher, cancer is removed with chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Cervical cancer often grows slowly and can be detected early through screening, so the prognosis is relatively good.
In June 2014, a conization was performed to remove a portion of the cervix and remove the tumor. As a result of surgery, the tumor was 4 cm in size and was stage 3 cervical cancer with metastasis to the right lymph node. The cancer was more advanced than expected. A month later, I underwent simultaneous extensive hysterectomy to remove the uterus where the tumor had spread, bilateral adnexectomy to remove both ovaries, and pelvic lymphadenectomy to remove metastases. It was a major surgery that lasted six hours. After surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy was administered six times at four-week intervals to reduce the risk of recurrence.
‘Healing power’ found in the forest
Treatment has never been easy. Overcoming major obstetrics and gynecology surgery to remove the uterus and six rounds of chemotherapy was difficult both physically and mentally. As a complication of surgery, I developed lymphedema in my right leg. Lymphedema is a common complication in cancer patients who have undergone lymphadenectomy. The swelling is so severe that it is difficult to walk and sleep. Still, Oh Hee-ok did not lose her smile, remembering the saying, ‘Bujeung Bulgam (不增 不減)’, which means that one must give up one thing in order to save her life. She was grateful that with proper treatment, she could get rid of the cancer and did not consider the pain caused by the swelling to be a big deal. She was firm in her belief that if she did not give up on treatment, she would definitely overcome.
The thing that helped Oh to calm down was none other than ‘nature’. She had heard that ‘forest bathing has positive physical and mental effects on cancer patients.’ So, on the day I received chemotherapy, I always visited the Hoam Mountain Pine Tree Arboretum near my house. It is said that walking slowly through the forest for about two hours and breathing in the phytoncide and negative ions of the forest calmed the mind. Meeting squirrels and feeling the freshness of colorful nature gave me healing power. I was able to go about my daily life without any special anti-cancer side effects. Oh’s attending physician, Professor Park Seong-taek of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Hallym University’s Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, recalled that time and said, “I feel rather grateful to Oh Hee-ok, who never complained or lost her composure even during her difficult process.”
I was diagnosed as cured from cervical cancer in July 2019. Since then, I have had regular follow-up examinations once a year and am in good health with no recurrence or metastasis.
“Wrong perception needs to be corrected”
There is a misconception that ‘the cause of cervical cancer is inappropriate sexual intercourse.’ Cervical cancer is cancer that occurs at the entrance to the uterus (cervix), and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is considered the main cause. In fact, human papilloma virus infection is confirmed in 99.7% of patients. Anyone who is sexually active can become infected with this virus. The perception that it is due to inappropriate sexual relations must be improved. Not everyone who is infected with the human papilloma virus will develop cervical cancer. Most human papillomavirus infections disappear naturally within 1 to 2 years without any treatment. However, if the body’s immune system collapses, the likelihood that the virus will develop into cancer increases. Professor Park Seong-taek says that it is important to increase immunity through a healthy lifestyle and detect cancer early through regular checkups.
You should also be vaccinated against human papillomavirus. The recommended age for vaccination is women aged 9 to 26. If you have received all three doses of the vaccine, you can achieve almost 100% protection against HPV types 16 and 18, and even people who have already been infected can prepare for the risk of reinfection. Ms. Oh Hee-ok did not receive this vaccine. This is because the national vaccination support project began in 2016. Since it is the only cancer that can be prevented through a vaccine, experts believe that establishing correct awareness of cervical cancer and active vaccination are necessary.
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Oh Hee-ok./Photo = Hallym University Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital – How are you doing these days?
“Thankfully, I have been appointed as the chairman of the board of The Energy Conversion Cooperative and am working hard for the urban regeneration of Geumcheon-gu. As I changed my mindset after cancer, I was able to present more diverse ideas, and I felt more comfortable physically and mentally than before. She works as a team leader for ‘Nokbenjeons’, which creates an eco-friendly energy self-reliant village, and works hard to achieve social values such as zero waste stores, vitality programs, and Geumha Forest Trail. “I feel grateful for all of this because I realized the importance of her health.”
-Has anything changed before and after the cancer diagnosis?
“My attitude toward life was positive even before my cancer diagnosis. However, my belief in myself has become stronger. I accepted cancer as a warning message to me for breaking my biological rhythm balance. I believe that I recovered quickly thanks to taking care of my health by drinking phytoncide in the forest. I came to realize how precious it is to respect the diversity of nature and live an active life. That’s why I exercise harder and value nature more than before I was diagnosed with cancer. I am also loving myself more. “After spending a lot of time with my family, my life became richer and happier.”
-You say that ‘living your own life’ is important.
“Professor Seongtaek Park and other medical staff gave me the strength to overcome cancer. It was a great help to me that he understood my feelings well during each treatment and listened carefully to my story when I had a problem. Also, the professor called me by my name correctly rather than ‘patient’ and asked how I was doing. The moment the professor called my name, I felt like I had become myself in the true sense of the word, not just someone’s mother or wife. I came to the realization that it was I who had cancer, it was I who had to overcome cancer, and it was I who had to live life. From then on, I think I had time to think and learn more about myself. So, even when I went forest bathing, I tried to focus solely on myself.”
-A word to cancer patients who have not yet found their true ‘self’.
“When you have cancer, it is easy to be swayed by various stories or situations. But the important thing is myself. Think positively and strengthen your will every day. I hope you trust your doctor who is working hard for you and follow your treatment diligently. In hindsight, I think that I was able to survive thanks to my determination to receive well-principled treatment. I have to work hard on my own to achieve the goal of ‘curing cancer’. Eat well and, if it suits you, gain healing power from nature. You can overcome it by thinking as positively as possible, moving your body, and receiving treatment. “Believe in your power of recovery!”
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Professor Park Seong-taek/Photo = Hallym University Gangnam Sacred Heart Hospital – What is Oh Hee-ok’s current medical condition?
“The tumor was removed cleanly, and I am in good health with no metastasis or recurrence. He was declared fully cured in July 2014. Even though it has been 10 years since the major surgery, he is healthy without any major complications. I have lymphedema, but it doesn’t significantly affect my daily life. “If you get regular check-ups every year and continue to live as you are now, you can stay healthy for a long time like a normal person who does not have cancer.”
-What do you think is the secret to Mr. Oh overcoming cancer?
“Even though he was diagnosed with cancer, he maintained a positive attitude and did not lose his daily life. Usually, when diagnosed with cancer, people try to change their surroundings, such as good air, organic food, etc. However, if the patient’s mind does not change even if the environment changes, the treatment will not be very effective. It seems that Mr. Oh focused on himself in order to overcome cancer. It seems that visiting a forest you like, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and trying to find your own life had a positive effect on the treatment, resulting in good results. It’s great to see them working hard for society as ‘Green Avengers’ even after receiving cancer treatment. “The family’s sincere support of the patient seems to have had a synergistic effect.”
-Is there something that you consider important as an obstetrician-gynecologist?
“In our country, the threshold for obstetrics and gynecology is still too high. Regular gynecological examinations are essential to improve women’s quality of life and increase their healthy lifespan. In an age where chronic diseases, including cancer, cannot be avoided throughout life, it is most important to detect cancer early through screening. In particular, cases such as cervical cancer can be treated at the adenocarcinoma stage through screening tests. Just as elementary and middle school students can conveniently go to a pediatrician or otolaryngology clinic when they are sick, women should be able to conveniently visit an obstetrics and gynecology clinic. “We need to break away from the old-fashioned way of thinking that makes visiting an obstetrician/gynecologist shameful.”
-A word to cancer patients.
“Cancer is a disease, not a sin. When they get cancer, there are many people who cut off all ties and contact and go into the mountains as if they are a sinner. However, overcoming cancer treatment alone is not easy and lonely. Overcome cancer with the support and encouragement of family and friends around you. You don’t have to take a lonely path. Like Oh Hee-ok, you can overcome cancer by feeling nature even in the city. There are more social facilities and services that cancer patients can use for cancer treatment. Overcome cancer with a positive mind and the support and strength of those around you. “If you trust the medical staff and work hard together with your family, you will definitely be able to achieve complete recovery.”
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