CANCER RESEARCH.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 258, 31 October 1929, Page 8

CANCER RESEARCH.

RADIOTHERAPY TREATMENT.

DR. BEGG'S INVESTIGATIONS.

ECONOMICAL USE OF RADIUM,

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, Wednesday.

The chairman of the executive of the New Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign, Dr. J. S. Elliott, has received a letter from Dr. A. M. Begg, of the Stroud Laboratories, London, who has been appointed to continue cancer research work in New Zealand. He makes special reference to the use of radiotherapy in the treatment of the disease, and to the leading researcli centres in Paris,. Brussels and Stockholm. "The radiotherapy of cancer Is at present still in an experimental stage, although great advances have been 7nade in recent years," states Dr. Begg. "These advances we owe mainly to the work at three centres of radiotherapy, Paris, Brussels and Stockholm. This is partly due to the fact that these three centres have had at their disposal relatively large amounts of radium, and partly due to the exceptional facilities for the systematic study of the therapeutic results obtained by radiotherapy. These centres are now being visited by everybody who wishes to familiarise himself with the present state of radiotherapy. Should Always Be ; in. Use. "In addition to the purely technical questions of the best method of applying radium in .the different forms of cancer, other factors have, to be taken into consideration. Whatever method may be used, it is essentialjthat a definite amount of radium is available in order to obtain successful results. In view of the cost of radium, it is important that the radium available should not be allowed to be idle, , but that the maximum number of cases, should be treated with it. '.;■■■ "For a given community such as New Zealand, the amount, necessary can be calculated from the known number of cases which would require it. Such a calculation would' be based ■ on the assumption that the fullest use is made of the available radium, and this would require an efficient organisation of the treatment. It also raises the question whether it is better to distribute the radium or to have a central institution. The experience in Europe ;appears to be in favour of a central institution., "Since radiotherapy is . . still in the experimental stage and capable of further progress, it must be.',possible to compare the results of different-methods of treatment. This requires' an efficient service for following up /the treated cases; The most efficient organisation from the point of view seems to exist in Sweden, with the result, that the radium institute in Stockholm has taken the leading place in radiotherapy. Problem in New Zealand. . "All these aspects of radiotherapy can .best be. studied by a personal visit to the leading centres .of radiotherapy, and it .is for this reason that I suggested in my cablegram that L should, visit the radium centres in Paris, Brussels and Stockholm. The' problems mentioned apply with special force to countries in which a relatively small population lives in a large area. The population of the whole of Sweden is 6,000,000, not very much larger than that. of: London,, but with, a given amount of; radium it is much more difficult to an efficient and economical ser.vice of; radiotherapy for Sweden than for London.. It i.« even more difficult for New Zealand, with 1,500,000 inhabitants. ' "I consider it, therefore, to.be of importance that I should make a thorough study of the problem from the available data. If an efficient service for.following \ip the treated cases, similar to that developed in Sweden, could,be. organised in New Zealand,-it would-enable us to "take a front place in this ,line of cancer research." / .

Dr. Begg is visiting Paris, Brussels and Stockholm, as he'suggested; and "will shortly arrive in New Zealand.