Although Director Gao's words were still flattering Du Heng, Du Heng couldn't help but frown. "Who will perform the surgery?"

"Deputy Director Qian Long will do it. He has deep expertise in mammary glands."

Just as Gao Qin finished speaking, Du Heng suddenly asked a question unrelated to the patient's condition, "Director Gao, if we were to establish a Breast Department, could Deputy Director Qian run it?"

"Hmm?"

Gao Qin froze, momentarily unsure how to answer this sudden question. The Gynecology Department was already a major entity. Now that the Obstetrics Department, Maternal and Child Health Care, the Pediatrics Department, and Child Health Care had all been merged into the larger Gynecology and Pediatrics Department, it was obvious that her own department would eventually be split. But Gao Qin had never imagined that the first section Du Heng would want to separate wouldn't be the Obstetrics Department or Pediatrics Department, as she had anticipated, but the Breast Department—an area she had never focused on. This caught her completely off guard.

However, before she could answer, Du Heng continued, "I'm just asking. This isn't urgent; we can assess the situation later. Please call the patient in first so I can see her condition."

Gao Qin let out a sigh of relief and quickly went out. In no time, she brought a woman in.

Perhaps Gao Qin hadn't explained Du Heng's identity to the woman outside. When the woman entered and saw a male doctor, she immediately exclaimed, "Why is it a male doctor?"

The rest was the usual explanation, only this time it was a patient with breast nodules. In addition to the routine pulse diagnosis, a physical examination was also essential.

Looking at the patient's squirming discomfort, Du Heng also felt quite helpless. The patient was almost fifty. If she had maintained herself well, perhaps the sight wouldn't be so jarring. But if he saw breasts sagging to her navel, Du Heng knew it would leave a mark on him, and he'd have to find a way to overcome it later.

However, as a doctor, he still needed to maintain his professionalism. Du Heng waited expressionlessly for the woman to assume the correct examination posture.

When Du Heng began his hands-on examination, he understood why the woman had refused surgery. Her breasts were aesthetically perfect. However, as he palpated them, Du Heng's brow furrowed.

There were many nodules, and the combination of pulse diagnosis and tactile examination indicated a very poor condition. After retracting his hands, he asked, "Have you already undergone treatment?"

At this, the woman dropped her reserve. She was surprised by Du Heng's question. "Doctor, how did you know?"

Du Heng let out a breath. "Have you been squeezing them yourself?"

The woman nodded. "Yes. Lately, when I squeeze them, some yellowish-brown discharge comes out. It has a strange, nauseating smell."

"Have you taken Chinese herbal medicine before?"

"Yes. I found out after the New Year this year. Director Wu from the Municipal Second Hospital examined me. He said I needed surgery, but I didn't want it and chose conservative treatment instead. I went to the Chinese Medicine Department of the Municipal Second Hospital. They told me they had conservatively treated dozens of cases with good results, so I received treatment there."

The woman glanced at Du Heng and Gao Qin, then continued, "I've been taking medicine for four months. I feel like the nodules have gotten much smaller, but my breasts have become increasingly swollen. A friend recommended a traditional Chinese medicine expert at the Municipal Maternal and Child Health Hospital who can treat cancer, so I came here. Doctor, are you that expert?"

Du Heng sighed inwardly. "I can treat some tumors, but I don't know if I'm the expert you're referring to."

The woman's attitude immediately did a complete one-eighty. She looked at Du Heng with hope and asked, "Doctor, can I still opt for conservative treatment now?"

"Conservative treatment is no longer effective. Surgery is necessary now."

Du Heng felt utterly helpless.

To treat this disease, the first step is to invigorate blood flow and dissolve the tumor. The second step is to expel the resulting toxic blood and pus from the body. The third step is to repair the affected tissues.

Based on the recent examination, this patient's previous treatment had addressed all three steps, but none of them thoroughly. As a result, this gave the patient the illusion that the nodules were shrinking and her condition was improving. In reality, her illness was worsening, and the optimal treatment window had been missed. Furthermore, the incomplete detoxification had accelerated the progression of her illness.

As for the medication the patient had taken, Du Heng could guess it was likely similar to a prescription he himself would formulate, but perhaps at only one-third or one-quarter of the dosage he would use. Many of the herbs used to invigorate blood flow and dissolve tumors are potent, even toxic in large amounts. Therefore, the attending physician likely hadn't dared to prescribe sufficiently strong dosages, adhering instead to standard safe limits. This was a case of having the right ideas, theories, and methods, but lacking the courage and confidence to apply them fully.

Many Chinese Medicine Doctors found themselves in this situation nowadays. The reasons were simple. Firstly, the tense doctor-patient relationships. Some unscrupulous patients, regardless of treatment outcome, would claim malpractice if a prescribed dosage exceeded national regulations, demanding compensation. Secondly, the restrictions of the "Pharmacopoeia." While the "Pharmacopoeia" certainly aided Chinese Medicine Doctors, it also inadvertently limited the potency of Chinese herbal medicine, often resulting in slower or less effective treatments, leading to practitioners being dubbed 'Slow Doctors'. Ultimately, the most critical point was the third: the prescribing doctor lacked confidence in their own judgment. Therefore, they didn't have the courage to prescribe a bolder, more therapeutically effective dosage, resulting in such an inadequate prescription.