The Amazing son in law Chapter 7346
Johnson sighed. “The outlook isn’t promising. The cancer is progressing too quickly—your CA199 index doubled in just three months, indicating aggressive tumor growth. The faster it grows, the worse the prognosis.”
Cold sweat formed on Hank’s forehead. He wiped it away and asked, “What’s the treatment plan?”
Johnson replied, “I came here to discuss the surgery with you. Our current plan is to proceed with the operation as soon as possible and remove the pancreas immediately.”
Hank swallowed hard. “If my pancreas is removed, how long can I live? Five years?”
Johnson shook his head. “That’s uncertain. Pancreatic cancer is one of the hardest to predict. It spreads rapidly and has a high mortality rate. Even after removal, it can unexpectedly reappear in a nearby organ. Ultimately, survival depends on luck. But one thing is certain—no matter how early it’s detected, the five-year survival rate is below 10%, and the ten-year survival rate is virtually zero.”
At this point, Johnson added, “Let me put it this way—if thyroid cancer is like the Italian army in World War II, then pancreatic cancer is like the German army.”
Hank scoffed, “But Hitler was defeated in the end, wasn’t he?”
Johnson continued, “In this analogy, your body is Poland.”
“f*ck!” Hank cursed. “If Japan could take China, Hitler sure as hell could take Poland!”
“Exactly,” Johnson said. “It just doesn’t happen instantly. The speed at which Hitler invaded Poland is like the speed at which pancreatic cancer spreads. Pancreatic cancer is the Nazi of cancers—the Hitler of cancers.”
Hank muttered, “So even if you remove it immediately, surviving five years is unlikely…”
Johnson tried to reassure him. “Now isn’t the time to dwell on that. The priority is surgery—removing the tumor as soon as possible. The sooner, the better! We should begin preoperative tests and preparations now and aim for surgery within 48 hours.”
“Forty-eight hours?” Hank frowned. “Why wait that long?”
Johnson explained, “Several tests need to be completed before surgery. The most basic is checking coagulation levels, along with screening for infectious diseases. Plus, before we proceed, the surgical team needs to hold a consultation to finalize the procedure. Everything must be confirmed before we operate.”
Hank was silent for a moment before saying, “Alright, tell me what tests I need. If blood needs to be drawn, do it now. The scan is done—let the doctors start working on the surgical plan. I have something urgent to do in China. I’ll be back within 48 hours.”
Johnson, assuming Hank was still prioritizing work, quickly objected. “Mr. Hank, in your condition, you shouldn’t be working. You need rest—you should stay in the hospital!”
“No!” Hank blurted. “I have to go to China. If everything goes well, I’ll return in 48 hours. Don’t schedule the surgery yet—just run another check. Who knows? Maybe I’ll recover.”
“How is that possible…” Johnson said bluntly. “China’s overall medical standards aren’t as advanced as ours. Their doctors have extensive clinical experience—while our surgeons perform dozens of these operations a year, theirs handle hundreds. However, when it comes to fundamental research and new drug development, we are far ahead. No country in the world can match us in that regard.”
Hank waved his hand dismissively. “Let’s not debate this now. According to you, the U.S. has the best medical care in the world, yet I only have a 10% chance of surviving five years. Five years will fly by in an instant. You expect me to accept that? I refuse! I have to recover—fully recover!”
Johnson quickly interjected, “Mr. Hank, a complete recovery is impossible! If pancreatic cancer isn’t treated swiftly and effectively, the survival period is typically no more than six months!”
Hank snapped, “I never said I wouldn’t get treatment! You need 48 hours to prepare, right? Then I’ll go to China during that time. No matter what, I’ll be back within 48 hours!”