Chapter 6024

Soon, the results of other examinations began to arrive in the ward, one after another. Curiously, the feedback from all tests for toxins, heavy metals, and radioactive substances was the same: none detected. A normal person would undoubtedly be smiling at such news. However, Hank's expression had shifted from earlier ease to one of concern. The private doctor, a bit puzzled, asked respectfully, "Sir, with so many normal results in a row, why does your expression seem to be growing more serious?" Hank felt a wave of depression washing over him. He couldn't articulate that he was hoping for an abnormal result, something that could explain his inexplicable impotence. Instead, he said, "I've heard a saying from Chinese people that goes something like this: those who regularly experience minor health issues tend to live longer, while those who have never had any problems are more likely to suddenly contract a serious illness. Do you think there's any truth to that idea?" "Well..." The private doctor hesitated for a moment before responding with a smile, "I wouldn't say it's definitive. It seems more like survivor bias to me. I believe that those who experience several minor health issues don't live longer because of them; it’s because they frequently engage with hospitals and doctors. This increases the chances of detecting any significant issues early on. He continued, "As for those who have always been seemingly healthy and issue-free, they often become complacent over time, convinced nothing could possibly go wrong. If cancer cells are already developing in their bodies, it is likely they won’t be diagnosed until it's too late." "Yes!" Hank nodded in agreement, raising his thumb. "What you said makes sense! People should still trust science!" But then a thought struck him: "No, I'm believing in a flawed kind of science! My impotence is something that science can’t explain. Clearly, this is beyond the realm of science." With that, he dismissed the private doctor’s perspective in his mind, muttering to himself, "Oh, regardless, I still hope to uncover some issues." The private doctor raised an eyebrow in surprise, wondering what was going on with Hank. He had always valued life so highly! Why, today of all days, would he hope to find problems? He couldn’t wrap his head around it. At that moment, his phone buzzed with a message from the attending doctor, instructing him to come to the office quickly. The private doctor quickly stood up, saying, "Sir, the doctor needs to see me urgently, I’ll be back shortly." Hank nodded as the private doctor made his way to the office. After the doctor left, Hank typed in the group chat: "Brothers, all of my examination results have come back normal so far. This is both good and bad news for me. The good news is, my pancreas seems fine, so no need to indulge any fears about becoming the king of cancer. The bad news is, if everything remains normal in the end, our impotence issue may not be something medicine can explain." Everyone in the group suddenly felt a bit disheartened. Meanwhile, the private doctor reached the attending doctor's office. He pushed the door open and quickly inquired, "Dr. Johnson, is there something urgent you need to discuss?" Dr. Johnson nodded, his expression serious. "George, there’s an anomaly in Mr. Hank’s examination results compared to three months ago." "That's excellent news!" exclaimed the private doctor. "You don't know—Mr. Hank has been waiting for an abnormality all night!"

Dr. Johnson was taken aback. "Waiting for an abnormality? Does Mr. Hank actually look forward to discovering issues in his health?" The private doctor smiled as he elaborated, "You're correct; Mr. Hank now desires just a hint of abnormality. The continuous absence of anything wrong seems to be making him more anxious." "Goodness..." Dr. Johnson adjusted his glasses awkwardly. "But I wouldn’t think Hank expects his CA199 marker to be abnormal, right?" Just then, the private doctor's playful demeanor shifted to shock. After a moment, he blurted out, "What did you say? The CA199 indicator is abnormal? Are you joking with me?" As Hank's personal physician, he was acutely aware of the significance of various health markers. CA199 is a carbohydrate antigen; it's commonly recognized as a tumor marker, with numerous types corresponding to different kinds of cancer. Typically, if someone is free of cancer, all tumor markers should fall within the normal range. An abnormal result likely indicates the presence of cancer. Certainly, abnormal markers don’t guarantee cancer, but the odds are significantly high. CA199 is particularly relevant to digestive system cancers, including pancreatic and gastric cancer, and is highly sensitive to changes. An abnormal result usually suggests digestive system cancer. He quickly asked, "What was Mr. Hank’s CA199 marker this time?" Dr. Johnson hesitated before answering, "It’s 628..." "What did you say? That can't be right!" The private doctor felt dizzy. The upper limit for a normal CA199 reading is 37. Anything above that indicates a potential problem. The greater the deviation from this value, the higher the likelihood of a serious issue. With Hank's CA199 skyrocketing to 628, his experience told him this was a nearly definitive indicator of pancreatic cancer. He pressed on, "What was Mr. Hank's CA199 marker three months ago?" Dr. Johnson replied, "Three months ago it was 12..." The private doctor wiped the sweat from his brow. "In just three months, it has skyrocketed dozens of times. This is alarming..." Johnson agreed, "It's indeed rapid, though it’s not unheard of for pancreatic cancer. Some patients experience a very quick onset and can deteriorate in a matter of months. If that holds true for Mr. Hank, he hasn't advanced far yet; he might be classified as medium or higher risk at most." "Goodness..." the private doctor said urgently. "We need to ensure a full body scan is done right away to determine the size of any lesions and check if it has spread." "Absolutely," Dr. Johnson said. "Will you tell Mr. Hank, or should I? We need his consent before we can arrange for the nurse to administer a contrast agent, and then we can proceed with the full scan." "I'll handle it..." the private doctor murmured, "but I'm concerned he may not be able to handle the news." With that, the private doctor hurried back to Hank's ward. Hank was lounging in the group chat at that moment, joking around with his friends. When he saw the private doctor return, he smiled and asked, "What’s the situation?" The private doctor was momentarily at a loss for words. He awkwardly cleared his throat and said, "Mr. Hank... um... one of your indicators is showing some irregularity..." "Oh?" Hank's previous demeanor shifted to excitement. He sprang up from the bed and asked with a smile, "Which indicator is off? Spill it quickly and make my day!"