The Improbable Cure

Otto Schulhof, the third generation owner of Schulhof Brothers Brewery loses his wife of 34 years to colon cancer. He only has two years to recover before Heinz, his son returns from graduate school to take over the family business. As this time nears, Heinz is diagnosed with the most fatal form of cancer. Otto is now willing to risk everything... his fame, fortune and even his heritage to save his son.

Otto consults with Wayne Olkowski, scientific director of a local cancer center. He pleads with Wayne to come up with anything that may save his son. A plot is hatched to hire three crackerjack scientists for a one-year sabbatical at New Hope Cancer Center. If Heinz is cured (lives for 5 years), Otto will turn most of his fortune over to the three scientists. The scientists must work together in the new field of personalized medicine, although this goes against their ego and competitive juices. The scientists focus on various tissues that were collected from Heinz's cancer surgery.

The scientists have distinctly different personalities. Michael Stabile (molecular biologist) has a gregarious, philandering lifestyle. James Hoffman (immunologist/oncologist), an incessant workaholic, considers himself God's gift to science. John Cave (geneticist) has a very hands-on, controlling approach. Serendipity allows the scientists to embark on a radically new methodology. They find that Heinz's cancer cells recruit and enslave normal blood cells, termed macrophages to produce a factor that stimulates the cancer. Michael's lab attempts to block the factor as a potential therapy for Heinz.
Hillary comes into Otto's life under the pretense of helping care for Heinz. She convinces Otto that his deceased wife would want her to do it. In the meantime, Heinz has surgery to remove a liver metastasis, becomes depressed and joins a support group. He meets Gretchen and develops a close friendship.

At New Hope Cancer Center, Dr. Hoffman develops a mouse model where Heinz's cancer cells kill the host. The scientists make progress on the macrophage factor. Dr. Hoffman discovers that Michael has been having an affair with his wife. This makes the environment at New Hope much more tenuous. When Michael is discovered murdered, Dr. Hoffman becomes the key suspect. One of Michael's drug preparations is found to cure the mouse model with Heinz's cancer. Since Michael did not keep good notes, Dr. Hoffman and John search for the active formulation. Progress takes many twists and turns as the scientists rush to develop the cure.

Hillary talks Otto into marriage. A joint wedding is planned at the church with Heinz and Gretchen. Heinz begins receiving MAS-2. The tumor marker, CA19-9 is followed in his blood to determine if his tumor is growing. Heinz gradually picks up strength and returns to work. Within 6 months of marriage, Gretchen is killed in an automobile accident.

Hillary starts complaining that the contract with the two scientists is far too generous. Otto refuses to go back on his word. Heinz is staying with them at the mansion, and Hillary has the responsibility to place his medicine on the breakfast table. She reasons that if Heinz dies, the family fortune will be saved. She starts substituting mock capsules filled with powdered milk, and his CA19-9 level rise, indicating that the cancer is growing back. The maid discovers the deception, and Hillary is kicked out of the house.

Heinz starts making valuable contributions to the brewery. He starts having problems with bronchitis due to an infection. MAS-2 impairs his ability to fight infection. He starts taking an antibiotic which works at first, but eventually he dies of encephalitis. The cure ends up killing Heinz, but gives him almost five additional years of life and allows him to live out his dream. The business manager relates the events of the story to his own life, and surprisingly, becomes the center of the story.