RADIUM AND CANCER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 2095, 26 February 1920, Page 2

RADIUM AND CANCER.

“THE action of radium on cancer,” said Dr. Cameron (radiologist at Dunedin Hospital), in an interview given to a Slav reporter, “causes (he cancer-cells to he transformed into harmless tissue, or to bo absorbed and lo disappear altogetherwithout leaving a trace.'’ Dr. Cameron spoke with a knowledge widened by recent visits to England and America. He said that in Manchester in 1917 30 cases of cancer, exclusive of rodent .nicer, were rendered' free from symptoms and signs dining (he year. This represented just,.over 9 per cent, of the'cancerous cases treated. In addition to the above cases of malignant, disease, 24 eases of rodent ulcer and 13 non-malignant conditions were apparently cured. Of the cases noted as'“improved” or “too early for observations to be made” in 19.10, 14 cases of malignant disease, four of rodent ulcer, and nine of other conditions were rendered free from symptoms and signs during 1917. “Tims,” lo quote the official report, “100 completely successful

cases have been observed during the period covered.” In 1918 48 cases of malignant disease, exclusive of rodent ulcers, were rendered free from symptoms and signs during the course of the year. This represented 11.75 per cent, of the cancerous cases treated, an improvement of over 2 per. cent, on the previous .year. It is noteworthy that a marked increase in the successful treatment of cancer in women has been made, there being;, 20 successful cases in 1918. In .the rodent ulcer i-ases nearly half of (hose treated (18) were apparently cared. Besides this, 29 non-malignant cases were cured. The value of radium as a palialive is very marked. Turning to tiie report again : “Apart from the possibility of ' removing growths, radium is of great use in reducing tlie discomfort of patients suffering from hopeless cancer. Thus it is employed to relieve. pai,n, heal ulceration, check discharges, stop bleeding, and in this way to improve ■the .general health of the patients. A great, deal of satisfactory work of this kind is done in the treatment of very advanced cases of ‘malignant disease.”