Free Web NovelChapter 1067: Chapter 528: What Exactly is the Problem?_1
The international medical community has long researched the technology of using specific antibodies to label cancer cells.
In fact, in most cases, cancer immunotherapy refers to the use of specific antibodies to label cancer cells. That is, a specific antibody is artificially manufactured for a patient’s cancer cells and, once injected into the human bloodstream, can activate the immune system to eradicate cancer cells.
This method belongs to passive immunotherapy for tumors and is also known as monoclonal antibody cancer treatment.
Monoclonal antibody cancer treatment requires genetic extraction and testing for each patient, followed by the production of targeted antibodies, making it extremely costly.
Thus, internationally, cancer immunotherapy treatments can cost millions of RMB per injection, not affordable for the general population.
In fact, there are several other methods of cancer immunotherapy, such as the most direct one, which involves using cancer vaccines to stimulate the body to produce an immune response against tumor-specific antigens, enhancing the immunogenicity of tumor-associated antigens, and stimulating specific immunity to attack cancer cells.
Another method is to transfuse processed autologous or allogenic immune cells or immune molecules to the patient to strengthen their cellular immune function.
There are also genetic methods, like recombinant cytokine therapy, cytokine gene therapy, cytokine receptor gene therapy, and so on.
However, when it comes to treatment effectiveness, monoclonal antibody cancer treatment has the best results, allowing patients’ blood tumor cells to be significantly reduced in a short time.
Some medical companies even claim to completely eliminate cancer cells in the body.
Of course.
Whether cancer is cured after treatment depends on whether it recurs after several years. This is because cancer cells mutate very rapidly, and monoclonal antibody cancer treatment may not kill all cancer cells, but its treatment effect is indeed quite remarkable.
Zhao Yi hopes to research a simple method for labeling cancer cells.
If cancer cells could be simply labeled, there wouldn’t be a need to manufacture specific antibodies for each person, significantly reducing costs and benefiting ordinary cancer patients.
"Each person’s genes are different, and so are the mutant cancer cells."
"Normally, the body’s immune mechanisms find it difficult to recognize cancer cells because they are variants of the body’s own cells."
"Expanding the killing action of T cells may bring significant side effects..."
Zhao Yi thought carefully about the problem of eradicating cancer cells and felt his thinking become somewhat confused. He wasn’t trying to find an immediate cure for cancer, but rather looking for a research direction.
Once the research direction was determined, the research could begin normally.
This was difficult.
"I still know too little," thought Zhao Yi, "Even the basic knowledge has too many limitations. I need to consult a few cancer specialists."
With this in mind, he left the laboratory.
When he arrived at the entrance of the Medical Center, he happened to run into Dai Tianqing.
Dai Tianqing greeted Zhao Yi and asked with interest, "I heard that you seem to have started to take an interest in cancer treatment? Why is that?"
Zhao Yi replied, "I have a friend who has cancer."
"Ah? Just because of that?"
"Yes?" frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
Dai Tianqing opened his mouth in surprise, "Just because you have a friend with cancer, you decided to research how to treat it?"
"Right?"
Zhao Yi questioned back, puzzled.
Dai Tianqing didn’t know what to say. The fact that one would start researching cancer because a friend has it sounds logical but, in reality, is devoid of any logic.
What if a friend had another disease?
With a large social circle, there will always be someone who is sick. Is he going to research every disease?
Dai Tianqing’s eyes showed bemusement as he shook his head wryly and said, "I have conducted a study on cancer, focusing on the response mechanism of T cells to cancer cells."
"My research has shown that in most cases, even if the immune system sends a signal, the action of T cells is suppressed, causing them to ignore cancer cells within the body."
"Oh?"
Zhao Yi didn’t understand what Dai Tianqing was trying to convey.
Dai Tianqing continued, "Because of this suppressive action, cancer immunotherapy can only be applied externally, for instance, through the introduction of specific antibodies, enhancing the response of T cells, or genetic methods, but other effects are not good."
Zhao Yi now understood.
What Dai Tianqing meant was that the international medical community already has technologies for artificially creating specific antibodies, and it is pointless to continue research in this specific area.
Of course, there is certainly still significance.
No domestic company has yet developed a mature antibody treatment method, so to do research on it could indeed have economic value.
Zhao Yi nodded and said, "I’m not interested in researching the manufacturing of specific antibodies, but looking into a universal labeling method."
"What? Universal? How is that possible?" Dai Tianqing exclaimed in surprise.
Zhao Yi said as if it were obvious, "If it’s not universal, why research at all? Wouldn’t it be easier to just fund my friend to receive treatment abroad?"
"... That’s true!"
This time, Dai Tianqing understood Zhao Yi’s logic, but he still thought it highly unlikely because most cancer cells are undetectable by the human immune system and each patient’s cancer cells are different. How could there possibly be a universal antibody for them?
...
Dai Tianqing’s perspective was also that of the majority.
Zhao Yi consulted two cancer experts in succession and received the same response, "It’s impossible."
"Specific antibodies can only be created for individual patients. In plain terms, cancer cells are human cells that have simply mutated."
"Everyone’s genes are different, and the mutated cancer cells are different as well, and cancer cells continue to mutate rapidly. To research a universally beneficial antibody without any direction is impossible, right? It’s not like we can just kill off human cells along with it,"
"..."
Amongst the many impossibilities, there were some exceptional responses.
In one of the Biomedical Research Institute’s partner hospitals, a tumor doctor named Shen Xi pondered and said, "If we’re conducting research on universally applicable specific antibodies, we can only start with the tumor cells themselves."
"There might be a glimmer of hope."
Shen Xi said, "My recent research has been about finding the human immune system’s detailed response mechanisms to cancer cell detection."
"It’s just that..."
"There has been no progress whatsoever."
Shen Xi had only responded to Zhao Yi’s inquiry based on her own understanding; in truth, she did not believe she could be of much help.
She was a tumor doctor, more focused on clinical treatment than theoretical research expertise.
After reaching the age of fifty, most of her research was for writing papers rather than making genuine breakthroughs.
Zhao Yi found Shen Xi’s input immensely valuable and felt he had found a direction. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
This direction involved studying the human immune system’s response mechanisms to cancer cells. He wasn’t sure that by understanding these mechanisms, he could find a way to create a universally beneficial antibody, but at least he would gain a thorough understanding of the immune system’s reaction to cancer cells.
Without a clear direction, knowing the detailed response mechanisms might lead to the correct path, unlike now, where he wanted to conduct research but had no idea where to start.
So after some thought, Zhao Yi decided to invite Dr. Shen Xi to collaborate with Zhao Yi’s laboratory on related research.
This invitation left Shen Xi somewhat incredulous.
Shen Xi was an ordinary tumor doctor. The reason she could discuss tumor issues with Zhao Yi was mainly because her hospital had a partnership with the Biomedical Research Institute.
Zhao Yi had inquired among doctors from partner hospitals.
Even within her own hospital, Shen Xi was quite ordinary, with no noteworthy medical research achievements to her name.
Even to say...
Her research capability was very, very average.
"Academician Zhao, are you sure you want to invite me to collaborate with your laboratory?" Shen Xi thought she might have heard wrong.
"Yes!"
Zhao Yi said, "After hearing your thoughts, I believe that conducting research on the human immune response mechanism to cancer cells is very meaningful."
Shen Xi voiced her doubt, "There’s already a lot of related research. Even a simple web search turns up a ton of content."
Zhao Yi dismissed it casually, "Without doing actual research and experiments, nobody knows whether those claims are true or false. I only believe in what I see and what I research."
"...Okay then."
Shen Xi did not continue. She couldn’t find a reason to refuse.
Being a mundane tumor doctor invited by the renowned Academician Zhao to collaborate with Zhao Yi’s laboratory, which boasted an impressive array of top-level achievements, how could she refuse?
Moreover, her hospital had a collaborative relationship with the Biomedical Research Institute.
So there was simply no way to say no.
The agreement was quickly reached.
Shen Xi would collaborate with Zhao Yi’s laboratory on the research, and Zhao Yi’s laboratory would provide her with a research and development environment and share the collaborative results.
Since both institutions already had a partnership, it was much easier to negotiate cooperation without needing to coordinate with the research institute and the hospital involved.
...
Zhao Yi and Shen Xi had agreed to cooperate on research and development, but the laboratory did not apply for the project with the higher-ups. Instead, it was listed under the institute’s name, which meant the institute was funding the laboratory’s research.
The Biomedical Research Institute didn’t mind because the research wasn’t costly.
Yan Xuelin only found it a bit strange, "Why did Zhao Yi’s laboratory add a project studying the immune response mechanisms against cancer cells?"
"Such an ordinary project..."
"With only three hundred thousand in funding? And the researcher is Dr. Shen Xi from the partner hospital."
"It almost feels like Academician Zhao is using institute funds to support Dr. Shen Xi’s research. Those two wouldn’t be..."
Upon reviewing Dr. Shen Xi’s profile, Yan Xuelin hastily corrected himself, "...*cough* relatives, relatives, right?"
"Even if it’s a familial relationship, the laboratory should be footing the bill, why is the institute still paying?"
"Well, it’s just three hundred thousand..."
Yan Xuelin shook his head unconcernedly. If this had been any other laboratory, he would have inquired closely, and most likely, the application would not have been approved, as he would expect the laboratory to ’sponsor’ itself.
But Zhao Yi’s laboratory was different.
With a grand gesture, Director Yan approved the funding, and then declared, "Our institute doesn’t lack this small amount of money!"
Standing by, Li Ming gave a robust thumbs up, admiringly saying, "Director Yan, you really have it, our institute, wealthy indeed!"
"Of course!"
Yan Xuelin grinned with pride, then glanced at Li Ming somewhat suspiciously. He felt there was something odd about Li Ming’s statement but couldn’t pinpoint the issue.
"Where exactly is the problem?"
"Or am I overthinking it?"
