Chapter 178 - 163: Cai Qi, and Director Huo Is at It Again

Chapter 178: Chapter 163: Cai Qi, and Director Huo Is at It Again

Early the next morning, Wu Ting received a call from Lu Xuejun.

Their department had admitted a patient with late-stage cancer related to Hepatitis B, and a consultation was needed. Cai Qi had organized it, inviting Huo Yun and Wu Ting to participate.

Director Huo was quite accomplished in the field of late-stage HBV-related cancer, while Wu Ting was simply there to observe.

Cai Qi felt terrible for this patient, a man who wasn’t even forty years old.

A tumor diagnosis is a devastating blow for anyone, especially when it’s already late-stage liver cancer.

Huo Yun and Cai Qi both felt a sense of helplessness. The truth was that current medical technology was still not advanced enough. There was little they could do for primary liver cancer caused by Hepatitis B.

A large portion of China’s cancer patients suffer from liver cancer, and 86% to 92% of those cases are caused by Hepatitis B.

Unfortunately, 60% of liver cancer patients are already in the late stages when diagnosed, with a five-year survival rate of only 14.1%!

In countries like South Korea and Japan, the five-year survival rate can reach 50-60%. If liver cancer could be monitored for early detection, diagnosis, and treatment, its incidence and mortality rates could be drastically reduced.

China’s current goal is to achieve a 65% survival rate by 2030. It’s clearly a long and arduous road. Early prediction of HBV-related primary liver cancer is crucial, but unfortunately, the relevant domestic monitoring technologies are still far from adequate.

Chronic Hepatitis B, a long-term, persistent viral infection, carries the risk of developing into primary liver cancer.

The continuous and repeated damage to the liver after HBV infection leads to degeneration and necrosis of liver cells and proliferation of fibrous tissue, ultimately progressing to cirrhosis and liver cancer, resulting in a poor prognosis and high mortality rate.

Through the journals and materials recommended by Professor Fu Jinfen, Wu Ting had also gained a deep and systematic understanding of this area.

HBV-related primary liver cancer mostly progresses through three stages: chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and primary liver cancer.

Monitoring for primary liver cancer often involves B-scans, CT scans, MRIs, and blood AFP levels as a basis for early detection. However, these methods cannot predict whether chronic Hepatitis B will develop into primary liver cancer.

Therefore, many patients with Hepatitis B, even those who are diligent about regular check-ups, are often misdiagnosed or have their condition missed. By the time it’s truly discovered, the liver cancer is already in its late stages.

This patient was a case in point. He had Hepatitis B and came in for regular check-ups, but he still missed the optimal window for treatment.

Huo Yun and Director Cai were both senior experts in this field. After reviewing the latest test results, they both sighed.

"If the patient doesn’t receive treatment, his life expectancy is only three to six months!"

As an expert in the field of liver cancer, Huo Yun had encountered far too many patients in the late stages:

"HBV-related late-stage liver cancer progresses too rapidly. The early symptoms are atypical, and previous tests didn’t screen for it. A complete surgical resection is no longer realistic at this point."

"Moreover, after being infected with the hepatitis B virus, the virus causes continuous damage to the liver, leading to functional and organic abnormalities. Since it’s late-stage, the survival period without clinical intervention is too short. However, surgical treatment is extremely risky, and it’s difficult to guarantee results."

Huo Yun thought for a moment and could only suggest conservative treatment:

"We can only proceed with conservative treatment. The goal will be to sustain his life and improve his quality of life!"

Cai Qi agreed. At this point, there were no better options.

Cases like this, of late-stage liver cancer patients, played out constantly in Hepatic Tumor Surgery departments across the country. Basically, once a diagnosis was confirmed, there wasn’t much hope for more than a few years.

This was why ordinary people paled at the mere mention of liver cancer. After being diagnosed, many chose not to seek treatment. After all, they would bankrupt their families, suffer immensely, and still not live much longer. After death, they would just be a burden to their loved ones.

It was a truly cruel reality.

Wu Ting felt a knot in his stomach as he listened to the two directors’ discussion.

This consultation was completely different from the ones for cholecystitis or appendicitis he had participated in before.

In those previous consultations, as long as surgery was performed, there was hope and a high probability of a cure. But with HBV-related primary cancer, there were no good treatment plans. At best, they could only try to sustain life and improve its quality for a few limited years. It was a feeling of deep despair and powerlessness!

As he listened to the two directors, Wu Ting’s desire to synthesize this series of entries grew even stronger. He wanted to devise a systematic method to completely cure HBV-related primary cancer as soon as possible!

While the two directors were discussing, a possibility occurred to Wu Ting.

"Director Cai, Director Huo, I’ve recently been studying HBV-related primary liver cancer with Professor Fu Jinfen."

"This patient is in the late stages of liver cancer, so a resection is basically impossible. In that case, could we use the new Transarterial Chemoembolization technique?"

Cai Qi looked at Wu Ting, surprised. "TACE! You know about this surgical technique too. It seems your advanced training at Jinggang University Affiliated First Hospital was quite effective."

"I have some understanding of Transarterial Chemoembolization. I studied it during my training at Jin Province Tumor Hospital."

Cai Qi was very surprised and motioned for Wu Ting to elaborate.

Director Huo, being an emergency department doctor after all, wasn’t as comprehensively informed about cutting-edge techniques in the field of hepatobiliary surgery.

’However,’ he thought, ’it seems that the new associate chief physician I’m bringing in, Zhang Heng, is researching topics related to this very Transarterial Chemoembolization technique.’

Although the technique was effective, it still had some shortcomings and flaws.

Under the influence of the purple entry, Wu Ting began his explanation with an air of profound knowledge:

"Compared to traditional resection, this technique is indeed a minimally invasive anti-tumor treatment. It involves injecting an embolic agent into the target artery supplying blood to the tumor, cutting off the blood supply. This causes ischemia and hypoxia, leading to the death of tumor cells. Additionally, the chemotherapy drugs injected via TACE also kill tumor cells through local infiltration. Clinical trials have already proven this treatment method is remarkably effective for liver cancer, with high patient acceptance."

"The only problem is that the technique is still quite cutting-edge and places high demands on the surgical team. It’s generally only performed as a routine procedure in the nation’s top-tier hospitals. We rarely perform it here at City First Hospital."

At City First Hospital, most late-stage liver cancer patients received conservative treatment. Those who weren’t willing to give up would go to hospitals in Xiao City, Xianglin City, or Qinghe City for treatment on their own.

Therefore, while Cai Qi knew of this surgical technique, he didn’t have the confidence to perform it. He knew how, but he lacked a cooperating team of physicians.

Moreover, Cai Qi had studied this surgical technique in depth and had even considered introducing it before, but he still had some reservations:

"Wu Ting, this technique is indeed remarkably effective for patients with late-stage liver cancer. However, related studies have also shown that after anti-tumor treatment with TACE, it can easily trigger the replication of Hepatitis B virus DNA, causing further harm to post-operative liver cancer patients. So, this surgical technique still carries risks and uncertainties."

Cai Qi’s response was what Wu Ting had expected, and he couldn’t refute it.

Indeed, this was a cutting-edge field that the academic world was constantly researching. For instance, Associate Chief Physician Zhang Heng from Jin Province Tumor Hospital was trying to combine Transarterial Chemoembolization with antiviral therapy, using antiviral drugs to suppress post-operative viral replication. However, his research had not yet produced conclusive results.

In Wu Ting’s synthesis path, however, there was a miraculous drug called "Fengmu Tiada" that could be combined with Transarterial Chemoembolization to achieve a perfect, three-stage cure for HBV-related primary liver cancer.

Director Cai gave a self-deprecating laugh.

"Actually, Dr. Wu’s suggestion is excellent. If the patient were at a hospital in Xiao City, they would most likely perform this Transarterial Chemoembolization procedure. It’s just that we at City First Hospital don’t have the conditions to perform it yet. In our hepatobiliary surgery department, I’m the only one who can do it, but this operation requires an equally skilled assistant."

Listening to this, Huo Yun felt a bit emotional. The overall capabilities of the medical team at City First Hospital just couldn’t compare to those in the Provincial Capital.

"Alternatively, we could wait a few more days. The high-level talent our research center is bringing in this time, Associate Chief Physician Zhang Heng, is an expert in the field of HBV-related liver cancer. He’s also very familiar with Transarterial Chemoembolization, as it’s a routine surgical technique at Jin Province Tumor Hospital."

Director Cai’s eyes lit up when he heard Huo Yun’s suggestion.

’This is a good chance to test the depth and skill of this new associate chief physician.’

Wu Ting had wanted to recommend himself, but he had never actually performed the procedure before. Surgery on a liver cancer patient wasn’t like an appendectomy or cholecystectomy, where if he ran into some problems, the two directors would have his back and clean up the mess.

The impact and risks for a late-stage liver cancer patient were too great. Even if he proposed a joint operation with Director Cai, it would be difficult to get approval.

’Anyway, this Director Zhang is arriving soon,’ Wu Ting thought. ’Let him perform the surgery. I can just observe then.’

’It’s also another opportunity. Putting Zhang Heng, Cai Qi, and Huo Yun together might increase the probability of dropping an entry.’

’Besides, if Zhang Heng really can’t handle it during the surgery, with my purple entry and Professor Fu Jinfen’s level of skill, saving the day would be a piece of cake.’

[DING! Congratulations, Host, for completing a consultation for a patient with late-stage HBV-related primary liver cancer with Cai Qi and Director Huo. You have obtained an entry from Director Cai: Traditional Early Diagnosis Technique for Primary Liver Cancer in HBV Patients (Yellow), a relatively outdated technique with a low diagnosis success rate.]

[You have obtained an entry from Huo Yun: Peripheral Blood Coagulation Function Index Diagnosis Technique (Purple), one of Director Huo’s surgical diagnosis techniques. It can be used to determine the prognosis of many diseases through blood coagulation function. Includes three indicators: PT, PTA, and PLA.]

[You have obtained an entry from Lu Xuejun: Management of Coagulation Abnormalities in HBV-Related Primary Liver Cancer Patients (Purple), Dr. Lu’s skill in handling coagulation abnormality symptoms in Hepatitis B patients. A massive collection of coagulation abnormality data from Hepatitis B patients at different stages—a treasure he unknowingly possesses.]

[Recommended Synthesis Formula: Traditional Early Diagnosis Technique for Primary Liver Cancer in HBV Patients (Yellow) + Peripheral Blood Coagulation Function Index Diagnosis Technique (Purple) + Management of Coagulation Abnormalities in HBV-Related Primary Liver Cancer Patients (Purple) = P3 Early Diagnosis Skill for Chronic HBV-Related Primary Liver Cancer (Black), a brand-new early diagnosis technique for chronic HBV-related primary liver cancer.]

[Note: HBV-Related Primary Cancer Radical Cure Method: Stage One. Achieving early prediction, diagnosis, and treatment serves as the predictive foundation for the radical cure, a deeply significant achievement.]

"This!"

Wu Ting was stunned. He hadn’t managed to get what he was actively trying for, only to stumble upon something even better by chance.

He hadn’t gotten a drop for the third stage, but instead, he had managed to completely synthesize the entry for the first stage.

’Another paper for a top-tier core journal is ready to be written!’