The myth-buster
Li Zhizhong is on a mission to provide accurate information about cancer, Wang Qian reports.
In August 2013, he wrote his first article about the differences between cancer and tumors. In the article, he explains that a tumor is a condition where there is abnormal cellular growth thus forming a lesion or a lump in some part of the body, while cancer is a degenerative condition where there is uncontrollable cellular growth that spreads in the body. The article was keen to note that not all tumors are cancerous.
He has since posted hundreds of articles on his official WeChat. Some articles have taken him about 10 hours to check material and data, translate English terms into Chinese, and consult other doctors or experts for accurate information.
"When writing the articles, it is like answering the questions and doubts that I had 16 years ago," Li says.
He has published four books about cancer in a bid to help patients, families and healthcare providers to have a better understanding of the disease.
In his preface for Li's book, Cancer Insights, Zeng Yixin, deputy head of the National Health Commission, says that, on one hand, it is not easy to introduce cancer to the public for its complicacy; on the other, cancer research and development has been very quick, with new studies appearing every day.
"I hope that my books will not only provide information and data that readers need, but also provide them with a hopeful outlook for the future," Li says.
