Home built before 1910.  It is a 3-story structure with plaster walls and some Bx, some romex and a lot of knob and tube. In the hallway on the second floor is a fuse panel for that floor and some of the overhead lights on the 1st floor.  

[![enter image description here][1]][1]

My question: is it possible to replace the fuse panel with a breaker panel WITHOUT running a new feed from the basement and WITHOUT replacing the K+T throughout the second floor?  

I recognize most will say the RIGHT WAY to do it is to gut the entire house (walls, ceilings) and rewire - but I see that as being prohibitively expensive and a monumental undertaking. Is it best to leave it as is - or would it be improved (from a safety perspective) if a breaker panel could be retrofit?


  [1]: https://i.sstatic.net/En0lB.jpg