TREATMENT OF CANCER

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 3599, 15 February 1927, Page 3

TREATMENT OF CANCER

PLEA FOR EARLIER DIAGNOSIS Dunedin, February 12. The public will probably be disappointed at the outcome of the discussion in the Medical Congress on the problems associated with cancer, for no new views were put

forward, either in regard to the cause or cure of that malignant disease. Professor P. Mac,C'alium (Alelbourne University) uttered a warning against extravagant claims made from time to time, and cU--Ipi o red the spurious prominence given to some of these. He was sceptical concerning the. alleged spread of cancer, for in many instances investigation of statistics showed that I lie data were insufficient, vitiated, or wrongly applied. Some interesting work on heredity in relation to cancer had been carried out by Miss Stye, who had found out that, so far as mice were concerned, cancer was dependent on true inherited characters. It was too early yet to pass final judgment on the work of Dr. Gye, whose claim that a certain form of malignant disease was due to ultra-mi-croscopic virus and a chemical specific factor had been challenged. In Liverpool Blair Bell had treated patients with a colloidal form ol lead, and claimed success, and i great deal of research was being carried out as a result of bis ideas. Professor AlacCalUun said that it was scarcely possible to draw any useful conclusion from the heterogeneous mass of available facts. They knew a great deal about cancer, and hoped to know much more in Ibe near future. Dr. Wi Repa (Gisborne) said that in bis experience cancer was common among Maoris, although the reverse was held -to be the case. He suggested that formerly, when Ihc Maoris were a very warlike people, Lew males reached the cancer age. Dr. L. E. Barnett (Dunedin) said that in recent years there had been an improvement in the mortality from cancer of the mouth, breast, and uterus. Dr. A. Norton McArthur pleaded for earlier diagnosis. Dr. P. D. Cameron (Wellington) said that lie was anxious that every woman suffering from cancer should be examined by a surgeon physician, gynaecologist, and radiologist. He was satisfied that a great deal of success bad been attained by means of deep X-ray therapy.