Updated on Sep. 8, 2025
For more than 30 years, Henry Van Gieson, M.D., was a cardiologist at MemorialCare Long Beach Medical Center. In 2019, a severe case of what he thought was GERD led to a stage IV gastric (stomach) cancer diagnosis.
“The discovery was gut-wrenching, especially since I lost my dad to cancer,” said Dr. Van Gieson. “My first thought was, I don’t want to leave my kids, my wife – I was afraid. My next thought was what do we do next? I sounded exactly like my patients all those years; nothing can prepare you for this news.”
He was referred to the medical director of the MemorialCare Todd Cancer Institute at Long Beach Medical Center, Nilesh Vora, M.D., for further treatment. Dr. Van Gieson was familiar with Dr. Vora’s dedication to his patients and saw his clinical skills, having worked on a handful of patient cases together. Dr. Vora helped him find hope.
“Stage IV gastric cancer is serious,” said Dr. Vora. “But Henry is healthy, and if we treated the cancer aggressively with chemoimmunotherapy, followed by surgery, he had a real chance.”
Chemoimmunotherapy is a treatment that combines chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill or slow the growth of cancer cells, while immunotherapy helps the body's immune system fight cancer more effectively. This combination can be more effective than either treatment alone.
As he navigated his treatment, Dr. Van Gieson sought second opinions. However, these consultations confirmed that he was already receiving the best possible care at the Todd Cancer Institute.
While chemoimmunotherapy treatment continued, Dr. Van Gieson took a trip, where he was able to eat a full meal. When he told Dr. Vora that, he was pleasantly surprised. Dr. Vora ordered a test to confirm his suspicions. The results were nothing short of miraculous.
“The results showed Henry’s tumor markers dropped below 100; just a few weeks prior, they were in the high 100s,” said Dr. Vora. “This proved that the chemoimmunotherapy we had him on was working.”
An endoscopy confirmed the tumor was gone. Dr. Vora recommended four additional rounds of chemoimmunotherapy as a precaution. A few months later, his tumor markers disappeared — and he was officially in remission, filled with hope for the future.
