Currently, the two main recognized methods for treating cancer are surgery and pharmacotherapy, including radiotherapy.
Surgery is only possible in the early stages of cancer, and some cancers cannot be operated on, even in the early stages.
Pharmacotherapy mainly involves chemotherapy, but there are better treatment drugs on the market now, known as targeted drugs. However, the use of targeted drugs is costly, and they can only address specific therapeutic targets. These include EGFR gene sensitive mutations, Oke gene fusion, HER-2 gene amplification, etc.
In addition, there are cancer immunotherapies under research that are designed to transform T cells into super soldiers.
These have a better prospect than targeted drugs and represent a more advanced treatment direction.
Targeted drugs adhere to the Western medical treatment philosophy, whereas cancer immunotherapies are a newly developed cancer treatment philosophy that combines Chinese immunology and Western medicine.
If this research is successful, perhaps in the future, various cancers could become as easily curable as the common cold.
Furthermore, the cancer vaccines that Western pharmaceutical giants are researching are also receiving much attention.
In summary, the level of human medical care is advancing rapidly.
Take genomic sequencing, for example; it would have been unimaginable in ancient times.
"Dr. Zhou, I’ve been scolded enough by you, can we start the interview now?"
She steered the discussion towards work.
Taking advantage of the lull with no patients seeking consultations at Zhou Can’s table, she seized the moment to conduct the interview.
"Please ensure we stick to medical questions only, avoiding sensitive issues or those that could provoke disputes," Dr. Zhou said straightforwardly.
"I’d like to hear your explanation of the entire disease progression of this female patient, as well as the lessons and experiences that should be drawn from this case." Mu Qin had spoken at length with the girl earlier and had taken photos of the girl’s medical records for reference.
Now, all she needed was some professional case analysis and summary from Zhou Can’s perspective, and she could compile a decent news report.
"First of all, I must clarify that I’m just a junior resident doctor with limited medical knowledge; if I make any mistakes or cause laughter, I will not be responsible."
"Alright, no problem," Mu Qin nodded in agreement.
"Looking at the nearly two-year disease progression of this female patient, it can be divided into three stages. In the first stage, two years ago in August, she experienced fever, nasal congestion, and runny nose due to catching a cold. These symptoms were very similar to those of the common cold, and at the time, her temperature reached 38.7 degrees, which is considered a low fever. Tests showed elevated liver enzymes, raised EB virus antibodies, and swelling in multiple lymph nodes throughout the body. The doctor prescribed liver protection and antiviral treatment, and she briefly improved. But soon after, she experienced recurring high fever and cough symptoms."
"If this stage was taken more seriously, it might have been possible to prevent the disease from progressing to lymphoma. Unfortunately, lymphoma is very difficult to diagnose, especially in the early stages, and it easily confuses doctors."
Zhou Can believed that the swelling of multiple lymph nodes throughout the body at this stage already indicated that lymphoma had begun to develop.
Or it was at a budding stage.
This is also the most difficult phase to make a definitive diagnosis.
The analysis of this case also taught him many valuable clinical experiences.
"Approximately three months after her first hospital admission, the patient was hospitalized again due to an enlarged liver, fatty liver, enlarged spleen, and ovarian cysts. It is noticeable that within just three months, the patient’s condition had progressed from the initial cold symptoms to a state where multiple organs throughout the body were affected. After over a month of hospital treatment, the patient was discharged but continued to experience recurring fevers and intermittent treatment. This process lasted for about a year."
Zhou Can felt that this period was when the girl should have taken the opportunity for treatment.
It’s a pity that due to the negligence, superficial judgement, and the patient’s own lack of attention from an external specialist, her condition continued to deteriorate. Over this year, the lymphoma spread from taking root and sprouting to invading multiple organs and body tissues throughout the body.
Had it been detected, there would have been a chance for surgery or targeted treatment.
Sometimes, patients and their families really shouldn’t put too much faith in a single expert.
If a disease has been treated for a long time without improvement or if it’s intermittent, sometimes getting better and sometimes worse, one must be especially vigilant. It may be necessary to seek treatment at another hospital or to consult different experts. Original content can be found at novel•fire.net
In any case, one must not put all their hopes on a single option.
"So, does this year constitute the second stage?" Mu Qin asked while taking notes.
She was very astute and had her recording device turned on, capturing Zhou Can’s explanation to revisit when writing her news report to ensure no misunderstanding.
"This year represents the process from the first stage to the second stage. The actual second stage began 14 months after the onset of the disease when she experienced tinnitus in the right ear, hearing loss, nasal congestion, and was admitted to the hospital for treatment again. By this time, the lymphoma had invaded major organs throughout the body and caused serious effects. In particular, a mild granuloma was discovered during an examination of her eyes."
"Did you know? In medicine, a granuloma is defined as an overgrown granulation tissue formed due to increased local inflammatory response, cell proliferation, and differentiation resulting from tissue infection, trauma, foreign bodies, etc. However, in reality, the appearance of granulomas warrants high alertness; it often acts as a precursor to cancer."
Zhou Can shared as much of his clinical experience as possible.
Hoping that after the news story was published, more people would be alert to granulomas and not be misled by its somewhat benign-sounding name.