On that day, Yang Ping gathered his team mbers.
Yang Ping briefly introduced Alina’s condition: 27 years old, MSH2 mutation, multiple adenomas, refused preventive surgery, requested to try a systematic regulatory K therapy.
Then he got straight to the point: "Should we use a regulation theory-based intervention on this Lynch Syndro carrier who has not yet developed cancer, with the aim of preventing cancer?"
"The standard treatnt is surgery," Song Zimo spoke first, "She refuses standard treatnt and opts for experintal intervention; is this ethically permissible?"
Tang Shun pondered for a mont and said, "The premise is: first, she must give fully inford consent, understanding both the pros and cons of standard treatnt and the risks of experintal intervention; second, the experintal intervention must have a reasonable scientific basis, rather than being a blind attempt; third, her choice is not due to economic reasons or information asymtry. From existing materials, she ets these conditions as she is a biology doctor who has done in-depth research.
"But we need to design a new K Factor for prevention, we have never studied K therapy for this disease, nor have experience in designing such a K Factor," Lu Xiaolu worried, "Additionally, other issues arise, even if the K Factor is designed, how do we determine the dosage? The course of treatnt? The side effects are unknown. What if the intervention is ineffective and she develops cancer in the anti?"
"This is precisely the challenge," Tang Shun was also concerned, "We need to use the professor’s hypothesis to design a new plan. The biggest problem is that my theory is provisionally defined as a hypothesis, although this hypothesis has been well-verified in a few tumor treatnts."
Yang Ping pulled up data models: "I don’t think this is a problem. We’ve accumulated data in tumors. Now it’s just about applying it to precancerous lesions. Based on Alina’s TIM expression profile, we can design a ’mild regulatory plan’, using the lowest effective dose of TIM regulators, supplented by micro-environntal and tabolic regulation. The goal is to reduce systemic disorder, not to clear existing lesion cells."
"How do we evaluate the effect?" Song Zimo asked, "The evaluation standard for tumor treatnt is shrinking or disappearance. What is the evaluation standard for prevention?"
Yang Ping wrote on the whiteboard:
The evaluation dinsions of preventive regulation focus on the following aspects:
System stability indicators: Reduced volatility in TIM expression, the expression profile of identity-related genes returns to normal.
Pathological reversal indicators: Reduction or regression in adenoma number, improvent in atrophic gastritis.
Mutation accumulation rate: Slowed increase in mutation abundance in circulating tumor DNA.
Quality of life indicators: No treatnt-related adverse reactions, maintaining normal work and life.
Long-term endpoint: Delaying or preventing cancer occurrence.
"This requires long-term follow-up," Tang Shun said, "Five years, ten years, or even longer."
"Alina is willing." Yang Ping showed her email.
Lu Xiaolu raised a question: "If the plan fails and she develops cancer, do we bear responsibility?"
"The plan will clarify: this is scientific exploration, not standard treatnt; she can exit at any ti and return to standard treatnt; we will provide the most rigorous monitoring, imdiately intervene if any signs of cancer appear," Yang Ping replied, "And full tracking and evaluation are needed throughout."
The discussion lasted two hours.
Supporters believed this is a valuable opportunity to promote dical progress; worriers believed the risks are too high, with failure possibly damaging the credibility of the whole hypothesis.
Finally, Yang Ping summarized: "I understand the risk, but if we always validate theories within the safe zone, we will never make breakthroughs. Alina is not a passive patient; she is an active explorer, using her body to pave the way for the future of dicine. We should respect this courage and work with her using the most rigorous science, the most ticulous plan, and the most humane care. Most importantly, the risk of our experintal treatnt is controllable, at least I believe so. I have confidence in my hypothesis."
The voting result: 9 votes in favor, 3 votes against, 1 abstention.
The plan passed.
Three days later, Alina Volkova sat in the Sanbo Research Institute’s reception room. She had long dark brown hair, gray-blue eyes, and slender fingers – those were the hands of a violinist. Accompanying her was Professor Manstein.
"Thank you for agreeing to et," Alina’s voice was calm and clear, "I’ve read all your papers, especially the one ’dicine as Dialogue’. That article showed another possibility, not fighting the disease, but dialoguing with the body. I think this must be the direction of dicine’s future."
Yang Ping nodded: "Your violin performance is also a kind of dialogue, with the instrunt, with the music, with the audience."
"Exactly!" Alina’s eyes brightened, "When I play, I’m not controlling the violin but dialoguing with it. I apply pressure, it feeds back sound; I adjust posture, it changes tone. The best music monts are when the violin and I beco one, as if it extends my body."
She leaned forward: "I think treatnt should be like that as well. Doctors are not technicians repairing the body but partners in dialogue with the body. The body sends signals—pain, discomfort, abnormal tests; doctors respond to the signals—diagnosis, treatnt, regulation. The best treatnt monts should be when doctors and bodies work together to restore health."
Yang Ping was surprised by her expression of what he tried to articulate yet felt unable to phrase fully.
"So, you refuse surgery, not out of fear?"
Alina continued, "Doctors say: ’Your colon has a problem, cut it out.’ It’s like the G string on a violin is always out of tune; instead of adjusting it, just remove it. Perhaps tuning improves temporarily, but the instrunt is already incomplete. Before your theory appeared, this was the only choice. After your theory erged, why not try a new theory? What if it succeeds? Additionally, I’ve studied carefully; even if it fails, it is a failure I can bear."
She paused: "I know this sounds idealistic, but when I read your theory, the cell identity system, TIM, regulation rather than attack, I saw the possibility of dialogue. Maybe we can adjust my cells instead of excising my organ."
Yang Ping explained the plan to her in detail: a personalized regulator based on her TIM expression profile, supplented by tabolic regulation and micro-environntal optimization, monthly infusions, with strict monitoring. The goal is to stabilize the cell identity system, enabling adenomas to naturally regress or at least not progress.
"Throughout the process, we’ll monitor your body’s response in real-ti," Yang Ping pulled up the monitoring plan, "Blood, tissue biopsy, imaging, and your self-reported feelings. We need your body to tell us whether the regulation is effective, whether the dosage is appropriate, whether the direction is correct; all of this proceeds as we explore."
Alina smiled: "It’s like tuning, you’re adjusting my cells, my body feedbacks with tonal changes, and then we fine-tune together."
"Exactly so."
"Then," she extended her hand, "let’s start this dialogue. My intuition tells I’ll succeed."
Yang Ping shook her hand.
Regarding the treatnt of precancerous lesions and cancer, the thinking is the sa; theoretically, treatnt should be easier. The new K Factor only requires minor modifications from the original, with controllable risks. The only obstacle is ethics, but with Alina so persistent, ethics are no longer a problem.
The first K treatnt took place after three days, with the dose being a ticulously calculated "mild regulatory dose," only one-tenth the dose for cancer patients.
Alina lay on the treatnt bed, calmly watching the dicinal liquid slowly flow into her vein. Beside her were monitoring devices, with screens displaying ECG, heart rate, respiration, blood oxygen, and blood pressure.
"How do you feel?" Yang Ping asked her.
"A bit warm." Alina closed her eyes.
"This is a normal vascular reaction, please inform of any discomfort at any ti."
"No, it’s comfortable."
The infusion continued for an hour. After it ended, Alina sat up and flexed her arms.
"How is it?"
"It’s marvelous," she pondered her wording, "It doesn’t feel like the drug entering the body, but more like receiving a clear ssage. The body seems to understand what to do."
Nothing was actually that magical, similar to ordinary infusions, but musicians often have wonderful intuition, sensing the marvels of everyday phenona.
Monitoring data showed that two hours after the infusion, the levels of certain inflammatory factors in her blood slightly decreased, while levels of growth factors related to tissue repair increased. Preliminary analysis of the TIM expression profile indicated a decrease in the volatility of TIM expression in colon biopsy tissues.
Yang Ping said, "Early signs are positive, but the key is the long-term effect. We need to observe changes in her colonic adenomas."
According to the plan, Alina will stay in Nandu for two weeks for intensive baseline testing and post-first-regulation evaluation, then return to Germany, coming to Nandu monthly, while continuously tracking through a remote monitoring system.
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