Since Chiu's tumor had burst before it was identified, cancer cells had spread throughout his body. The first surgery removed two thirds of his liver and with it the 13-centimeter tumor, but the cancer reappeared just ten months later, eventually spreading to his lungs.
由於腫瘤在發現前已經破裂，癌細胞四處流竄，在動手術切除了三分之二的肝臟和 13 公分的腫瘤後，才短短 10 個月，肝腫瘤又復發，之後癌細胞又轉移到肺，發病至今，邱瑞金前前後後已開了 5 次刀。