Chapter 176 - 161: Outlook: Conquer Hepatitis B Liver Cancer, a Plan to Benefit Humanity

Chapter 176: Chapter 161: Outlook: Conquer Hepatitis B Liver Cancer, a Plan to Benefit Humanity

After the consultation concluded, the surgery was scheduled.

Aside from the preoperative preparations, Shen Siyuan and Shao Yuqiao also needed a good rest, so the operation was scheduled for Monday daytime.

Wu Ting had his regular duties to attend to at City First Hospital, so he missed the chance to observe this surgery.

However, for Wu Ting, his current skill level wasn’t high enough to warrant the opportunity to observe and learn from such a top-tier surgery.

After the consultation, Shen Siyuan was quite satisfied with Wu Ting’s performance.

’This student of mine not only takes after me in looks and talent, but his clinical skills also complement my own. He really is the perfect student.’

When the consultation ended, Shen Siyuan pulled Wu Ting aside, intending to offer some encouragement.

"Wu Ting, continue following me for now. Experience the consultations, surgeries, and ward rounds in cardiac surgery, as well as the various projects in our lab. I’ll give you a month to find an area that interests you. After that, we’ll decide on the direction for your research topic together."

This was the double-edged sword of choosing Shen Siyuan as a master’s advisor. The advantage was her absolute respect for her students’ ideas, supporting all sorts of possible research directions. The disadvantage was that these fields were all cutting-edge, with few reference papers and even fewer established methodologies. One could only rely on constant exploration, making it almost as difficult as a doctoral dissertation.

But Wu Ting didn’t give Shen Siyuan that chance, nor did he intend to take a month to feel things out before making a decision.

"Professor, I’m very interested in the field of immunomodulation you’re researching. Today’s special consultation also left a deep impression on me. I’d like to choose a cross-disciplinary field combining immunomodulation and the treatment of Hepatitis B cirrhosis for my master’s research topic."

"However, I’m not sure how to go about studying immunomodulation theory, or the principles behind treating Hepatitis B cirrhosis. Are there any textbooks, or good domestic and international journals and related papers you could recommend?"

Wu Ting got straight to the point, swift and decisive.

Shen Siyuan was stunned to hear that Wu Ting had already decided on his graduate thesis topic just like that.

However, considering Wu Ting’s line of thinking, it wasn’t entirely impossible.

"Wu Ting, I’m very well-versed in immunomodulation theory. It’s no exaggeration to say my own mentor is a leading authority in immunology. I can teach you that aspect personally, step by step."

"But when it comes to Hepatitis B cirrhosis, I don’t have much insight or experience to pass on to you. Especially since you’re planning to tackle a cross-disciplinary topic between the two fields."

"The difficulty is just too high—even harder than my own research at the intersection of cardiac surgery and immunology."

"Wu Ting, are you aware that, as of now, Hepatitis B cannot be completely cured? This kind of research is incredibly difficult."

"You should really give it more thought."

Shen Siyuan greatly admired Wu Ting’s idea, but she wasn’t very optimistic about it. It was too grand, too vague.

It would be difficult to find a specific entry point, and it was simply an impossible task for a master’s student.

It would only be possible if a top-tier medical expert laid out the objectives for Wu Ting, built the framework, broke it down into stages, and gave him clear targets.

Relying solely on Wu Ting’s aimless exploration on a whim was a bit irrational.

However, Shen Siyuan didn’t want to discourage her student’s enthusiasm either.

"How about this: over the next two days, I’ll send you a list of immunology tutorials you’ll need to read. You can start familiarizing yourself with them."

"As for the books, papers, and materials on treating Hepatitis B cirrhosis, I’ll talk to Director Fu and ask him to draw up a list for you. I’ll send it to you as soon as I can."

"Wu Ting, I think you should first gain a deep understanding of Hepatitis B. Perhaps after you’ve read up on it, you’ll have some new ideas."

"There’s no rush. Take your time and get a feel for it first. Personally, I would recommend you choose a cross-disciplinary topic in cardiac surgery and immunology, which is also my research area. That way, you’ll have an easier entry point and get results faster."

Shen Siyuan didn’t want this promising seedling to go astray.

"Okay, thank you so much, Professor. I’ll use the next few days to really study the basic tutorials on Hepatitis B cirrhosis and immunology."

Wu Ting had brought this up with Shen Siyuan to lay the groundwork, so his future actions wouldn’t seem too abrupt.

’I’ve already completely mastered immunology theory. My real target now is the Single Immunoglobulin Interleukin-1 Receptor-Related Protein theory.’

’If I directly asked about Single Immunoglobulin Interleukin-1 Receptor-Related Protein, it would be too jarring. It’ll seem more normal if I ask after I’ve ’studied’ for a while.’

’But according to the entry I got from Director Shen, she might be familiar with the Single Immunoglobulin Interleukin-1 Receptor-Related Protein theory herself. In that case, I’ll need her to recommend some domestic experts in the field. Then I can try to make contact and, if I’m lucky, I might directly get the drop for this entry: Single Immunoglobulin Interleukin-1 Receptor-Related Protein Theory (Purple).’

As for the Traditional Treatment Theory of Hepatitis B Cirrhosis (Purple), Wu Ting also had some targets in mind: Director Fu from Hepatic Tumor Surgery, Director Shen Xiaofei, his own Director Huo Yun, and half a target in Deputy Director Zhang Heng, who was coming to City First Hospital.

Wu Ting wasn’t in a hurry. Now that he had a clear direction, he could just take his time exploring and experimenting.

After bidding farewell to Director Shen Siyuan, Wu Ting returned to Fan City.

It had to be said, Shen Siyuan was remarkably efficient. She sent over two lists on Sunday evening.

One was a list of immunology books she had compiled herself, along with digital versions of cutting-edge domestic and international journals, all sent to Wu Ting in a single package.

The other was recommended by Fu Jinfen, Director of Hepatic Tumor Surgery at Jinggang University Affiliated First Hospital. It included several classic textbooks on Hepatitis B.

Of course, there was also a PowerPoint presentation in the package. It was a simple, easy-to-understand popular science lecture on Hepatitis B that Fu Jinfen had personally created for a guest lecture at a university.

The next day, Wu Ting arrived at City First Hospital bright and early.

As the nominal head of the research center and the chief resident of the center’s inpatient ward, Wu Ting had a great deal of freedom.

Now that he had secured the national youth foundation project, the papers on Daytime Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy and the Perfect Triple Method Laparoscopic Assistance Skill had both been successfully published. The various surgical techniques were now officially in the clinical implementation phase, and the relevant physicians were gradually taking up their posts. Therefore, Wu Ting didn’t need to focus too much of his attention on these matters.

The Laparoscopic Diagnosis and Treatment Technology Research Center was now on track. The next step was to wait for high-level talent to arrive before steadily beginning the second phase of development.

The year-long clinical statistics for Wu Ting’s project were also progressing steadily. When the time came, he could apply for the Jin Province Science and Technology Progress Award!

This period was Wu Ting’s most leisurely time.

Wu Ting printed out Director Fu’s PowerPoint presentation, preparing to get a thorough understanding of Hepatitis B, its pathogenesis, and its traditional treatment methods.

Wu Ting began to read through it with great interest.

It had to be said, Director Fu was indeed a top expert in this field. The popular science document was written in a simple and easy-to-understand way. Even though Wu Ting knew little about Hepatitis B, he gained a deep understanding after reading it.

The document explained that Hepatitis B, often called Hep B for short, was a viral infection.

The Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is tiny, only one-billionth the size of a sesame seed. If you gathered all the HBV from an infected person’s body, it wouldn’t even fill a tablespoon.

The structure of the Hepatitis B virus is very simple: just a bit of genetic information in the form of DNA, surrounded by an outer protein membrane.

The Hepatitis B virus is very particular. It only survives in high-intelligence animals—namely, humans, gorillas, and other primates. It apparently looks down on lower animals.

After entering the human body, this virus seeks out liver cells, because they contain all the essential elements for the Hepatitis B virus to survive and reproduce.

Once inside a liver cell’s nucleus, it begins to replicate—one becomes two, two become four. The newly generated Hepatitis B viruses then move on to infect the next healthy liver cell.

This process of continuous replication and infection of one liver cell after another is what’s known in medicine as an HBV infection!

The Hepatitis B virus is quite interesting. After entering a liver cell, it actually coexists peacefully with it. The virus is like a tenant, and the liver cell is the hotel.

Although the tenant eats and lives in the room for free, it doesn’t actually tear the place down. The liver cell continues to do its job, and liver function isn’t hindered at all.

The strange part, however, is that the body’s white blood cells can’t stand for it. Upon discovering the Hepatitis B virus, they grab their weapons and charge in, adopting a "better to kill a thousand innocent than let one guilty party escape" mentality.

White blood cells can’t directly pull the virus out of the liver cells to kill it. Their only option is to destroy the liver cell along with it!

In the ensuing massacre, the Hepatitis B virus is eliminated, but the liver cells also bite the dust.

With the large-scale death of liver cells, liver function becomes impaired. This is the origin of hepatitis!

That’s right. Hepatitis B is actually caused by white blood cells directly attacking liver cells!

However, some white blood cells are mindless, while others are more discerning. Thus, in some people, the white blood cells destroy the liver cells. But in others, the white blood cells, liver cells, and Hepatitis B virus all coexist peacefully.

This is the origin of the medical classification: the asymptomatic HBV carrier.

...

Reading Director Fu’s vivid and interesting popular science explanation of Hepatitis B, Wu Ting was filled with admiration. ’He truly is a seasoned expert.’

At the end, Director Fu also highlighted three key points:

First, although asymptomatic HBV carriers have no symptoms, the virus is very real, so they are still contagious.

Second, just because the white blood cells are rational today doesn’t mean they won’t go crazy tomorrow. Therefore, an asymptomatic carrier can suddenly become a full-blown Hepatitis B patient.

Third: If detected within six months of entering the body, the Hepatitis B virus can be completely eliminated. After that, however, it develops into chronic Hepatitis B.

And the final conclusion was: As of now, humanity cannot completely eradicate the virus from patients with chronic Hepatitis B. In other words, chronic Hepatitis B is currently incurable.

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Primary liver cancer has a high incidence in our country, with 90% of patients having an underlying Hepatitis B infection, which is the main cause of the cancer. If it were possible to completely cure the primary liver cancer caused by Hepatitis B, then countless liver cancer patients could be saved.

It would be a truly great contribution to humanity!

Reading these descriptions, Wu Ting felt a surge of excitement. It made him truly feel the real purpose of the system: to use it to benefit all of humanity.

Just as Wu Ting was looking at the Hepatitis B PowerPoint, Yan Xi happened to walk by.

"Dr. Wu, are you researching Hepatitis B? I just finished telling you about Deputy Director Zhang Heng’s field of research."

"And you’ve already started studying. I’m impressed, truly impressed!"

Yan Xi hadn’t expected Wu Ting to be so competitive.

’After all, Zhang Heng has been researching HBV-related tumors for a long time. Will Wu Ting’s last-minute cramming really be of any use?’

Still, Yan Xi respected Wu Ting and admired his unyielding spirit.