That thin needle hides the secrets of neuroscience—acupuncture is not just a traditional therapy, but a scientifically based pain relief option. But today, I’m not here to talk about acupuncture. I’m here to rage. To scream about the frauds preying on cancer patients’ desperation. About immunocell therapy—CAR-T, TIL—being twisted into a money-making scam, not a lifeline.
Wait, have you seen it? Patients, fragile, hopeful, coming to my follow-up room with flyers that scream “CURE CANCER” “NO SIDE EFFECTS” “ONLY 500,000 USD”. 500,000. Their life savings. Gone. Wasted on fake CAR-T, on unregulated clinics that don’t even have basic medical equipment. I heard a story last month—an elderly patient with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, spent 500k on a “CAR-T therapy” at a so-called “cell treatment center”. His condition worsened within two weeks. Died in agony. His family cried in my office. My chest felt tight, like a punch to the gut. I clenched my acupuncture model, my knuckles white with anger. How? How can they do this?
I’ve spent 25 years in clinical research—from acupuncture analgesia to immunocell therapy. I know the facts. From a neuroscientific perspective, CAR-T and TIL are promising, but they are not miracles. Let’s talk data. According to our lab’s latest research, CAR-T has a complete remission rate of about 80-90% in B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, but the incidence of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) is 70-90%. CRS is no joke—it can cause high fever, organ failure, even death. You need a professional ICU team to manage it. TIL? Objective response rate of about 35-50% in melanoma, but the treatment cycle is long, and the cost is extremely high. Not a “one-size-fits-all” cure. But these frauds? They erase the side effects. They lie about the efficacy. They call it “natural therapy” to trick desperate people.
I try to explain. I show patients the data. I tell them, “Please, don’t believe the ‘guaranteed cure’ lies. We use evidence to speak, to provide more natural possibilities for cancer pain patients.” But they shake their heads. “The hospital said they have cured cases,” they say. “They showed me photos.” Brainwashed. I feel angry. Helpless. Like I’m fighting a wall. I’m sitting at my follow-up desk, my glasses slipping off as I looked up data, my fingertips numb from typing for hours. I rubbed my eyes, stinging with fatigue. Why can’t they see the truth? Why do these scams keep happening?
Enough. I’m done being helpless. I started compiling. A “Three Principles to Avoid Pitfalls in Immunocell Therapy”—check qualifications, ask for data, check follow-up. A checklist for choosing legitimate hospitals: must have national health commission-approved clinical research qualifications for cell therapy, must have a professional ICU to handle CRS and other side effects, must have long-term follow-up data. No exceptions. I printed it out, hundreds of copies. Gave them to every patient who came to my follow-up. I was printing another batch yesterday—printer jammed. I slammed the printer, anger boiling over. Fixed it, kept printing. Sharper words, clearer warnings. No more nice guy. These frauds don’t deserve kindness.
Listen closely. Two warnings, straight from my anger. First: never believe “guaranteed cure” or “no side effects”. Legitimate CAR-T has clear indications and significant side effect risks—hiding them is murder. Second: beware of “overseas medical intermediaries” and “cell therapy centers” that are not regular hospitals. In China, only a handful of top three hospitals have legitimate qualifications. The rest? They’re just after your money. Your life? They don’t care.
I was in the follow-up room yesterday. A patient came in, holding my checklist. She said she’d almost gone to a fake clinic, but my guide stopped her. She chose a legitimate hospital, got proper CAR-T treatment. Her CRS was managed well, and her condition is improving. I felt a little relief. But then—nurse knocked. Emergency. A patient with severe CRS, from a fake CAR-T. I rushed to the ICU. My hands shaking. Anger again. Hot, burning anger.
We use evidence to speak, to provide more natural possibilities for cancer pain patients. But evidence means nothing to these frauds. They only see money. I’m sitting at my desk now, updating the list of unregulated institutions. My eyes are tired, my back aches. But I can’t stop. I just got a message—another patient was scammed. I grab my phone, fingers flying. I need to warn them. I need to stop this.
Acupuncture must be performed by professional physicians, do not attempt it yourself. Combining with Western medicine, the effect is better. (I can’t help but add this—old habit.) But right now, all I can think about is the next patient. The next scam. I’m opening my laptop, ready to add another fake institution to the list. The clock ticks. I won’t stop. Not until these frauds are gone. Not until no more patients are hurt.
