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In a small city, 60-year-old Zhang Mei is facing the most difficult decision of her life. Exhausted by years of cancer recurrence, she decided not to undergo any treatment anymore and wanted to leave this world peacefully.
Zhang Mei works as a salesperson in a local supermarket, and although it is not a glamorous profession, she has always been able to win the love of customers with her enthusiasm and hard work.
The family was very shocked by Zhang Mei's decision, and they repeatedly persuaded her to reconsider, trying to get her to change her mind by various means.
However, Zhang Mei insisted on her decision, believing that she had endured enough of the pain and inconvenience caused by the treatment. The sense of powerlessness and anxiety of the family makes the atmosphere of the whole family extremely heavy.
At a family meeting, Ms. Zhang's daughter offered to see a new oncologist in the hope that he would give some new advice or treatment options.
Although Zhang Mei did not have much hope for this, she still agreed to the meeting for the sake of her family. The doctor's name is Li Bo, and he is a physician with extensive experience in the field of cancer treatment.
When meeting Zhang Mei, he did not immediately talk about the treatment, but first patiently listened to Zhang Mei's experience and feelings. Dr. Li Bo understood that Zhang Mei's biggest concern was the side effects and physical pain during the treatment.
In order to alleviate Zhang's concerns, Li Bo began to introduce some new therapies that can reduce side effects and improve quality of life to a certain extent.
He explained in detail how immunotherapy uses the patient's own immune system to attack cancer cells, and unlike the "cannon to fight mosquitoes" strategy of traditional chemotherapy, the precision and individualized treatment plan of immunotherapy gave Zhang Mei a glimmer of hope.
Zhang Mei curiously asked about the specifics of this therapy. Li Bo spent a long time explaining in detail how immune checkpoint inhibitors work.
These drugs can relieve the "invisibility" of cancer cells to the immune system, allowing immune cells to recognize and destroy cancer cells. He also mentioned several related clinical trials and some successful cases, which gave Zhang Mei more confidence.
Through this exchange, Zhang Mei's mentality has changed significantly. She began to seriously consider a new treatment option, and her family was relieved that it could be a game-changer.
After many discussions and trade-offs, Zhang Mei finally decided to try immunotherapy, hoping to achieve a better quality of life in this way.
A few months later, Zhang's condition improved significantly. She thanked Dr. Li Bo for his advice and help, and was glad that she had made the right decision at a critical moment. Although life is still full of uncertainties, she is now able to face the future with a more positive attitude.
During the treatment, Zhang Mei developed a deep curiosity about the effect and principle of immunotherapy. She asked Li whether immunotherapy is effective for all types of cancer and why some patients become resistant to drugs.
Leeber explained the limitations of immunotherapy in detail, mentioning that not all cancers respond effectively to immunotherapy, and that specific cancer types, such as melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer, respond more positively to this therapy.
On drug resistance, Li explained the mechanism by which cancer cells evade immune system surveillance through genetic mutations, and emphasized the importance of ongoing research and personalized treatment strategies.
His explanation gave Zhang Mei a more comprehensive understanding of immunotherapy and strengthened her determination to continue treatment.
What do you think about the way cancer is treated?