Veteran Taiwanese actress Chen Yurong diagnosed with pancreatic cancer after believing it was gastroenteritis

Veteran Taiwanese actress Chen Yurong, best known for her roles in long-running series like Taiwan Story (1999) and Blue Crystal (2002), has opened up about her health struggles after she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. 

In 2022, Chen began experiencing bloating, nausea, diarrhoea, and extreme pain in her rib cage, back, and abdominal area.

Believing these to be signs of gastroenteritis, a condition caused by the infection and inflammation of the digestive system, she sought treatment at various clinics.

She eventually visited a gastroenterology specialist centre where an ultrasound revealed issues with her pancreas.

The actress was referred to Tri-Service General Hospital where she was diagnosed with early-stage (0 to 1) pancreatic cancer.

Chen was told she was very lucky to have discovered her condition early as most patients are only diagnosed in the late stages. Statistically, only about one in 10,000 people catch the disease this early.

She currently undergoes MRI every three months. 

Six months ago, Chen had a severe allergic reaction to the contrast medium injection required for the MRI, resulting in painful inflammation of her blood vessels.

Her tumour is currently 2.8 cm large, and surgery will only be necessary if it grows above 3 cm.

Chen is receiving radiation therapy, a less invasive form of treatment, and regularly consults a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) specialist to improve her recovery chances.

Besides her battle with cancer, the actress also suffers from heavy blood loss whenever she has her period, and has, as a result, significantly reduced her workload over the past two years.

Despite her health struggles, Chen maintains a positive outlook on life, and invests in the stock market to pass the time.

This story was originally published in 8Days. 

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