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Chapter 123: The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (10)

Forsberg was an elderly patient who was almost ninety years old. He was an NSCLC patient.

It had been three days since hyperprogression started, and Forsberg’s condition worsened every six hours, but a relaxed smile appeared on his thin face covered with age spots.

“I’ve long passed my supposed last day. Don’t you think I did pretty well?” he asked Marcus. “What do you think, Marcus?”

“... I’m sorry.”

Marcus dropped his head like he was ashamed to see him.

“No. I would have administered APD if I were you, too,” Forsberg replied.

APD was the drug name of the immune checkpoint inhibitor.

“Of course, there was no such drug when I was your supervisor.”

“...”

“It’s actually for the best. Through my body, you found that this drug can cause hyperprogression in certain patients,” Forsberg said. “In this life, I taught at Karolinska, evaluated Nobel Prize nominees, and reported the huge countereffects of the immunotherapy that is considered to be the greatest drug today. I am satisfied in every way.”

“...”

“Anyway, what a fascinating young man Ryu Young-Joon is.”

“Doctor Ryu?”

“I did hear a lot about him because he is so widely known, but how did he predict hyperprogression? That’s not something that can be done with ingenuity, right?”

“...”

Before giving Forsberg the immune checkpoint, Professor Marcus already told him everything about how Young-Joon was arguing about the fatal side effects of the inhibitor, and how hyperprogression could occur if he had a mutation in a certain gene.

However, Forsberg calmly accepted it. What he had said then was still fresh in Marcus’ head.

—Nothing works on my body now. So, you were going to administer APD to me as a last resort; that was the original plan. But are you being swayed just because of a claim that one scientist is making based on theoretical reasoning? Even though he doesn’t have any data yet? No matter how much of a genius scientist he is, and even though everything he says is right, you can’t do that. Even if the entire world believes him, doctors have to administer drugs by trusting data, not people. Proceed with what you originally planned!

It was a tough, angry scolding, but it was completely right. Still, Marcus could not use a drug so recklessly on his teacher, who taught him in training, and the master of medicine in Sweden.

—What if Doctor Ryu is right? Then what are you going to do?! You want me to carry all the guilt if hyperprogression occurs?

Forsberg replied nonchalantly to Marcus, who was arguing with his jaw clenched.

—This rookie is shouting at me now that he’s become a professor. There is only one result if hyperprogression occurs in my body, Marcus. What do you think that is? It means that the problem Ryu Young-Joon is raising has gained a powerful piece of evidence.

—...

—It cost an astronomical amount of money to develop APD. Do you think that a drug like that will easily withdraw from the first-line of treatment just because of some mouse experiment? People will begin to examine it seriously if side effects are reported in humans. It might take more than one person, and I am going to be the first person to start that process. It’s great if I get cured, but even if I don’t, I’m satisfied that I produced important clinical data for the advancement of medicine.

Marcus was extremely upset, but there was nothing he could do. As he was also one of the doctors who was deeply touched by the legendary Young-Joon, he was anxious that Young-Joon was going to be right this time as well. In this situation, however, he needed to proceed. The results were horrendous.

“You are a stubborn bull,” Marcus said to Forsberg.

“Hahaha. Thank you. That’s a compliment, right? I was able to have this much honor in my life because I have lived my whole life like this.”

“...”

“But I have a question, and I hope you will give me an honest answer. How much time do I have left?”

“I think you have a week at most...”

“A week...”

A faint smile appeared on Forsberg’s face.

“It’s a shame, to be honest. Looking back, I’m satisfied with my life, but it’s still a shame. I would even be able to see my great-grandchild’s face anymore.”

“... Would you like me to discharge you?”

“Actually, there is one thing I have to do before I leave.”

“What is it?”

Knock knock knock!

Someone knocked on the door. The VIP patient room that Forsberg was in was a single room, and since Marcus was visiting right now, there was no one else that would be coming to see him.

Puzzled, Marcus opened the door.

“Oh...!”

He backed away in surprise. Key members of the Royal Swedish Academy of Science had come along with their entourage. And among them was a middle-aged couple with dignity and elegance.

“We’re here to see Professor Forsberg,” said Desideria, the crown princess of the Swedish Royal family.

Frozen, Marcus stammered and backed away. The Swedish Royal family was very simple, and they did not make gossip by luxuriating or socializing like other Royal families in Europe. They didn’t use their authority or boast their power because they were Royals. However, she was the heir apparent to the Swedish throne,

“Marcus, bring them in.”

Marcus stepped aside and cleared the way.

“Thank you.”

Desideria thanked him and approached Forsberg with her entourage and the scientists.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“I’m so good that I think I’ll be discharged soon. I do push-ups in my spare time nowadays,” Forsberg replied playfully.

Desideria smiled.

“All the other professors are disappointed because you’re not at the academy anymore,” she said.

“Haha... My apologies.”

“...”

Desideria stared at Forsberg, then asked, “How much time did they say you have left?”

Forsberg was one of the key members of the academy. The scientists of the academy and the faculty committee of Karolinska were all very close to each other. Since they had a relationship like that, the word got out quickly. There was already talk about hyperprogression and whatnot.

“They say a week,” Forsberg replied calmly.

Desideria frowned slightly. Then, sadness appeared on her face.

“The Royal family will do whatever we can.”

“Haha, just let me go quietly. All I want is to take my great-grandchild on a walk by Rostanga Lake.”

“...”

No one could say anything. There was a heavy silence in the room.

Knock knock knock!

Someone knocked on the door again. All twenty people in the room turned and glanced at the door, confused.

“Everyone who should be here is already here,” Professor Alchen of the academy mumbled.

Marcus opened the door. A young, Asian man and woman, and an old man appeared. Marcus did not know who Song Ji-Hyun was, but he recognized Young-Joon and Kakeguni.

“Doctor Ryu? Professor Kakeguni?” Marcus said with a surprised face.

As Marcus spoke, Forsberg raised his head from his bed to look at the door.

“Doctor Ryu?” he said. “Is Doctor Ryu here?”

Forsberg leaned and tried to see Young-Joon through the scientists and the Crown Princess. However, it wasn’t easy as they were also moving and trying to see Young-Joon.

“Why are there so many people here...” Song Ji-Hyun, who was surprised, quietly mumbled without realizing.

It was strange that the patient room was a VIP room. All she had come to do was meet the patient, but there were over twenty visitors. Additionally, they were all wearing formal suits, and the atmosphere seemed serious.

‘Who is the patient?’

“You had visitors. Excuse my abruptness. Could we talk outside?” Young-Joon asked Marcus.

“Wait!” Forsberg shouted.

“Stop, Doctor Ryu. Come here.”

Young-Joon stared at Forsberg with a slightly puzzled look.

“I don’t know what you are going to tell Marcus, but I want to hear it if it’s related to my body,” Forsberg said.

“The patient will be able to hear it through Professor Marcus,” Young-Joon replied respectfully.

The treatment of a patient had to be left entirely to the primary doctor. Too many cooks would spoil the broth. It could create false hope for the patient if an outsider talked to the patient about treatment carelessly. Plus, it wasn’t respectful to the primary doctor either. Young-Joon was thinking of convincing Marcus to do the treatment. However, Forsberg was stubborn.

“I have the right to listen. Doctor Ryu, please come over here. I am not just a regular patient. I was a doctor and professor who looked after patients and taught students at Karolinska for forty years, and I am a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. I know more about the lung cancer in my body than most people in the world. I am one of the greatest scientists in Sweden.”

“...”

Young-Joon did not know this.

‘This is the lung cancer patient Marcus was looking after?’

“I think we can discuss it here, Doctor Ryu,” Kaekguni said with a smile as he looked at everyone in the room.

Contemplating, Young-Joon looked at Forsberg’s eyes. He was an elderly scientist who was about ninety years old, but his eyes were shining with pure passion and the curiosity of a young boy. Young-Joon knew that feeling.

‘If I was sitting in that hospital bed with less than a few days left to live... And if I saw a famous scientist who has cured many incurable diseases suddenly come to see my doctor...’

He would also guess that there was something and be extremely curious. It would be fine if the treatment failed; he would just be so curious about what plan the scientist brought to the table.

The biggest disappointment in the short time he had left may be not being able to hear the ideas Young-Joon brought.

“Alright. I will tell you here. But who are these people...?” Young-Joon asked Marcus as he gestured at Desideria.

“...”

As Marcus stammered again, Foxberg replied for him.

“They are my friends. You can just talk to me here because they are all trustworthy.”

“... Of course. Professor Marcus, Professor Kakeguni, Doctor Song, this way please.”

Young-Joon called the three people to the bed where Foxberg was lying.

Kakeguni briefly stopped in front of Desideria while walking.

“Scientists like that have no interest in socializing. Please understand his impoliteness of not recognizing you.”

Kakeguni bowed, then went to stand beside Young-Joon.

Then, Young-Joon’s declaration fell into the room like a bomb.

“I can cure the patient.”

“...”

The great, talented scientists of the academy were here, but no one could say anything. They froze because they were so dumbfounded.

“How are you going to treat me?” Forsberg asked.

“I am going to use chimeric immunotherapy.”

“I heard you used that on a child who was suffering from liver cancer in Korea. That you did that in three weeks, a very short amount of time. It’s true that you cut the time hugely, as it usually takes months, but you can’t use it on me,” Forsberg said. “Doctor Ryu, I have less than a week left. It will take a week just to extract cells from my body and grow them. We won’t have time to manipulate the gene, test it, and administer it to my body again.”

“I can treat you today.”

“...”

Forsberg’s eyes widened.

Young-Joon explained further about how he was going to feed Cas9 to dendritic cells, deliver that to the immune cells to manipulate the gene, and use that immune cell to destroy the cancer cells.

“My god!” Alchen, a professor at the academy, shouted. “Doctor Ryu, are you insane? A patient is not a lab mouse. What are you trying to do?”

“Professor Kakeguni’s technology is safe, and it is a commercialized treatment that has already been approved by the FDA. The same goes for the chimeric immunotherapy.”

“Of course, that’s true. But they have never been used together like that before, right? Even two approved treatments may require new approval for clinical use if the action mechanism changes like this. And Cas9? Has the stability of gene scissors been proven?”

“You are right. I have chosen a way to combine existing technologies to skip the constraint of getting approval for clinical use, but frankly, this treatment could be overturned if you challenge that part,” Young-Joon said with honesty. “However, I am confident that this treatment will succeed. And that is why I came to convince Professor Marcus.”

“...”

Silence filled the room again.

“Sigh, this is... I’ve never seen such a crazy and unusual treatment before,” said Alchen. “Professor Marcus, this could create legal problems if you proceed with this without approval.”

“...”

Marcus was deep in thought. As he picked at his lips, Foxberg spoke to him.

“Why are you thinking about this, Marcus? Go ahead.”

“Professor!”

Some of the scientists were shocked.

“I’m going to die in a week anyway. I will receive Doctor Ryu’s experimental treatment that combines the greatest technologies in this generation.”