CANCER’S CONQUEST

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1070, 6 September 1930, Page 10

CANCER’S CONQUEST

HOW TO GAIN THE ROAD! TO VICTORY HEALTH NOTES (Contributed by the Department of Health.) Mankind is menaced on all sides by myriads of foes and one of the most formidable of these in the ranks of disease is cancer. It is no respecter of persons, attacking all classes of the community although the large majority of people escape. Wheu we consider that 1,467 deaths occurred in New Zealand last year from cancer, the appeal being made for funds to fight this disease! by tile New Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Fund is one worthy of generous support. j Slowly, as a writer states, “humanity is awakening to the danger and beginning to tight consciously against disease. Tho searchlights of science are lighting up the battlefields and revealing the hidden too. Scientists in tho past haif-cent.urV have unmasked a number of germ armies aud have found out how to defeat them. These victories, fought and won in the laboratory, are fraught with greater good for humanity than all the victories in all the wars that have taken place since the world began.” The fight against cancer, however, is not one confined to the medical research worker, the surgeon and the physician but is one in which the people can, by increasing their knowledge of the early signs of this disease, play a most important part. It is very important that people should know the early signs of cancer, or, better still, the conditions which may give rise to the disease, so that they may secure treatment while cure is t still within their reach. DANGER SIGNS

External Cancer.—Cancer on the outside of the body often begins as a wart, mole, lump, or scab. If any of these conditions are present they should be watched carefully, and if thej- change in appearance or size, medical advice should be sought at once. Lumps on the breast are specially suspicious, and if such are present the doctor should always be consulted.

Internal Cancer.—Cancer on the inside of the body may he known by signs before any lump is seen or felt. Chronic indigestion, both during or after middle life, and any material loss of weight are also danger signs. While these conditions are not necessarily associated with cancer, they are frequently the first evidence of its appearance, and their occurrence demands at least an exhaustive investigation in order to rule out the possibility of malignant growth. Action should not he delayed until there is pain, as this is no criterion of the nature of growth. Cancer may, and does occur with no pain. PREVENTION AND CURE The prevention and cure of cancer, then, call for the closest co-operation between the patient and the medical

practitioner. Firstly, the onset of cancer can be prevented in many cases by the elimination of any causes of chronic irritation. Rough stumps of teeth should be removed and illfitting dentures should be replaced. If pipe-smoking is found to produce soreness on the same spot of lip or tongue, it should be abandoned. Clothing which causes irritation of any particular region of the bod)-, e.g., the breast, should be altered. Advice and treatment should be sought in any internal disorders.

Secondly, if any of the conditions quoted above under the heading “Danger Signs” are present, medical advice should be obtained immediately. In many cases, the condition will be found to he not of a serious nature. Where it is due to early cancer, however, the patient will have the benefit of early surgical treatment. This is most important. There are many cases alive and well today in which cancerous growths have been removed in the early stages once and for all.