Chapter 179 - 164: The Potential to Establish a Medical Guideline

Chapter 179: Chapter 164: The Potential to Establish a Medical Guideline

After the consultation ended, everyone was preparing to go their separate ways. Huo Yun was also getting ready to contact Associate Director Zhang Heng and inform him about the surgery.

Unexpectedly, Wu Ting suddenly spoke up.

"Director Cai, after studying the journals and textbooks Director Fu recommended, and discussing the early diagnosis of primary liver cancer secondary to hepatitis B with you two today, I’ve come up with a completely new idea."

"I’m planning to start a new research project and begin drafting a paper. When it’s ready, I’ll need to ask you both to look it over."

Wu Ting was already an experienced paper writer. By saying this, he was obviously seeking the support of the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery and the approval of Director Cai.

"What? You have an idea for a paper and a research project?"

"And it’s on the topic of early diagnosis for primary liver cancer secondary to hepatitis B?"

Cai Qi found it hard to believe, but he also felt a surge of excitement.

’This is prime hepatobiliary territory.’ Wu Ting’s previous papers could have been classified under hepatobiliary surgery, but unfortunately, he was from the Emergency Department, and Director Huo was busy establishing the research center for laparoscopic diagnostic and treatment techniques.

’But this time, the topic of Wu Ting’s paper is squarely within the domain of hepatobiliary surgery—specifically, primary liver cancer caused by chronic hepatitis B.’

’Director Huo has no reason or right to compete with me for this one.’

"Give me the gist. As long as it’s feasible, our Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, from the top down, will give you our full support for this project."

Although Wu Ting was officially in the Emergency Department, with his talent and research capabilities, he could not be confined there. The Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery was like his second home.

By saying this, Cai Qi was essentially treating Wu Ting as one of his own in Hepatobiliary Surgery.

Lu Xuejun, standing to the side, was rather envious. Wu Ting merely had an idea, and Director Cai was already promising the full support of the department. An ordinary doctor in Hepatobiliary Surgery wouldn’t even get a chance to bring it up without months of preparation, data collection, and a preliminary draft.

However, this was the trust Wu Ting had earned with his past achievements.

Director Huo was also very curious to hear what Wu Ting had in mind.

"I’ve been studying a lot of journals recently, and I’ve also been compiling data on coagulation abnormalities in patients with chronic liver disease..."

Hearing Wu Ting’s words, Lu Xuejun blinked. He had actually accumulated a lot of experience on that subject. ’But,’ he wondered, ’what’s the connection between coagulation abnormalities and predicting primary liver cancer secondary to hepatitis B?’

Director Huo and Director Cai didn’t understand Wu Ting’s angle either, so they listened intently.

"In patients with chronic liver disease, impaired hepatic synthesis and reserve functions lead to an imbalance between anticoagulant and procoagulant factor levels, causing coagulation abnormalities..."

"And as the disease progresses, a large number of hepatocytes degenerate and necrotize. The liver’s synthetic function is further damaged, leading to reduced synthesis of coagulation factors II, V, and VII, and a prolonged prothrombin time (PT)..."

As Wu Ting delved deeper, the two directors grew increasingly interested, feeling a spark of inspiration themselves.

Wu Ting continued his explanation:

"A longer prothrombin time may indicate poorer liver function. The peripheral blood platelet count (PLT), besides its role in primary hemostasis, is also involved in non-hemostatic processes like angiogenesis, inflammation, and tissue repair..."

"...Thrombocytopenia in patients with liver damage is linked to multiple factors, such as reduced PLT production, increased PLT clearance due to hypersplenism, bone marrow suppression, and immune-related PLT destruction..."

"So, I was thinking, could we use the levels of three markers in peripheral blood—PLT, PT, and PTA—to predict the progression to primary liver cancer in patients with chronic hepatitis B..."

"We could perform extensive statistical analysis on clinical data to find the correlation between these three monitored indicators and the severity of liver cancer... Of course, for now, this is just a hypothesis."

"In principle, it’s feasible. But the specifics will require further statistical analysis."

Listening to Wu Ting’s explanation, the other three stared at him, utterly astonished.

While each of these elements was common enough in hepatobiliary and emergency surgery, no one had thought to combine them to produce such a brilliant spark of insight.

"Wu Ting, you’re a true genius!"

Lu Xuejun was the most deeply moved. As an attending physician and a cornerstone of the clinical team, he had accumulated vast experience with relevant cases.

He had simply never imagined that these coagulation abnormalities, identified through peripheral blood PLT, PT, and PTA levels, could be used to work backward—to create an index chart to predict the developmental stage of primary liver cancer secondary to hepatitis B.

This method of measurement would be simple and convenient. It would also be far more acceptable for long-term monitoring by chronic hepatitis B patients than B-scans, CTs, or MRIs.

Furthermore, this method could be used for high-frequency monitoring during routine checkups. Compared to other conventional diagnostic methods, it’s cheaper, more convenient, and non-invasive.

"The liver is the body’s most important metabolic and immune organ, as well as the primary site for synthesizing coagulation factors. Linking the degree of liver damage to coagulation abnormalities... that’s a stroke of genius!"

Cai Qi wanted to pull Wu Ting into a hug and kiss him on the forehead. If Wu Ting’s research project succeeded, it would have epoch-making significance for the prediction and early diagnosis of primary liver cancer secondary to hepatitis B.

It wouldn’t just be published in a top-tier journal. If it proved effective...

...then it could very well be established as the medical guideline for the early prediction of primary liver cancer secondary to hepatitis B.

A medical guideline, in simple terms, helps doctors understand the best methods for diagnosing, treating, and even preventing a disease.

Guidelines are established based on the strongest scientific evidence, compiling the most feasible, scientifically-proven recommendations for prevention and treatment.

Every major disease has its own guidelines—breast cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer, rectal cancer, and lung cancer all have one.

And yet, liver cancer, which affects the largest number of patients in the field of oncology, currently lacks one.

If Wu Ting’s research project were to succeed, *this* would become the guideline for primary liver cancer secondary to hepatitis B!

It would mean that Wu Ting and the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery at City First Hospital would create a guideline for medical institutions, doctors, and even the general public across the entire country to reference.

The significance was immense!

Of course, developing a guideline is a strict and complex process. It has to be established by a special medical committee, which is typically composed of top experts in the field of a specific disease. They formulate the guideline based on existing, reliable medical evidence after thorough discussion and consensus!

In layman’s terms, a guideline is the collection of best-practice recommendations discussed and agreed upon by top medical experts for a given disease, combining the latest research and medical evidence. It represents the highest, most effective, and proven level of medical care currently available!

If Wu Ting’s research succeeded, it would be hailed as the best predictive method by top doctors at hospitals like Union, Haijin Port, and Saint An Hospital!

The mere thought was incredibly exciting.

Of course, this also highlighted just how profound and difficult the field of primary liver cancer secondary to hepatitis B was. Humanity was still largely helpless, lacking even a reliable predictive method for early diagnosis.

And this was merely for early prediction. If Wu Ting later developed a complete cure for primary liver cancer secondary to hepatitis B, it would be a world-shaking achievement—something worthy of the nation’s highest award for science and technology!

A true national treasure!

Compared to a simple expert consensus, the authority of a medical guideline is far, far greater.

The doctors who formulate guidelines are also typically of a much higher caliber than those who merely establish an expert consensus!

Director Cai hadn’t expected that after just a short time delving into the field of liver surgery, Wu Ting would come up with a project of such terrifying potential.

It had to be said, the man was a natural.

Director Huo was also somewhat surprised. As it happened, the research center for laparoscopic diagnostic and treatment techniques in the Emergency Department had now entered a stable phase, making it a good time for Wu Ting to take on this new project.

"Wu Ting, you can carry out this new project in the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery with the assistance of Director Cai and the other doctors."

The two directors supported Wu Ting with a tacit understanding.

As long as Wu Ting was at City First Hospital—whether in the Emergency Department, Hepatobiliary Surgery, or any other department later on—he was one of their own. Besides, when it came to complex cases, they could always consult and work together.

’This young man isn’t destined to stay in a small pond.’

The two directors had no intention of limiting his growth.

This comparison also strengthened Director Huo’s resolve to bring in Zhang Heng. While Zhang Heng was making big waves now, his momentum couldn’t compare to Wu Ting’s potential for continuous growth.

Bringing in Zhang Heng would be like adding a catfish to the tank; the competition would only accelerate Wu Ting’s growth!

After reaching an agreement with the two directors, Wu Ting prepared to head back and start outlining his paper. Afterward, he would call over Cheng Feng to handle the follow-up research.

After all, Wu Ting had junior doctors working under him now. There were many things he no longer needed to handle personally; he just had to manage the overall direction.

Just as Wu Ting was going full-throttle, forming the project team and starting the clinical phase for his "P3 Early Diagnosis Skill for Chronic Hepatitis B-Related Primary Liver Cancer"...

...the high-level talent recruited for the City First Hospital Research Center arrived to report for duty amidst great anticipation.

Moreover, Associate Director Zhang Heng had made thorough preparations for his new post.

Director Zhang had already arranged things with Director Huo. On his very first day, he would perform several representative surgeries as a demonstration for professional exchange. He also invited all the doctors from the research center to observe and learn.

One of them was the core Surgical Technique from his research project: transarterial chemoembolization.

Another was a classic: laparoscopic liver cancer resection.

The third was Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). He was slated to be the lead physician for this Surgical Technique at City First Hospital.

He would also be bringing his trusted subordinate, Resident Guo Guoguo, a talented master’s graduate from a Project 985 university who was exceptionally gifted in clinical surgery.

Guo Guoguo was following Director Zhang, and she too saw the research center as a stepping stone to gain access to more research resources and opportunities.

As an associate chief physician from Jin Province Tumor Hospital, Director Zhang had a very strong reputation and a great deal of prestige among patients.

With him taking up the post at City First Hospital, many of his patients followed him, drawn by his reputation. Some even specifically booked appointments to have Director Zhang perform their surgery.

He had built up considerable momentum before he even arrived.

Furthermore, Director Zhang was arriving with a top-tier research project. He was also planning to apply for a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation.

A new week began.

The research center put up a banner: "Welcome Jin Province’s renowned young physician, Associate Director Zhang Heng, to the City First Hospital Research Center!"