MAY BE CURED.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 113, 14 May 1937, Page 5

MAY BE CURED.

DANGER IN NEGLECT.

CANCER CAMPAIGN.

DETAILED AKAXYSIS.

CANBERRA, May 3

Striking evidence of the danger of neglecting suspected infection of cancer is provided by statistics covering practically all cases treated in Australia in the past eight years. They show conclusively that, attacked early, cancer yields fairly successfully to treatment, but in its advanced stages offers far less hope of cure.

Analysing detailed results of treatment from 1928 to 1936, the Senior Commonwealth Medical Officer (Dr. M. J. Holmes) found that where the disease was in its early stages 74 per cent of cases were still alive and apparently cured one to eight years later compared with 24.5 per cent of cures in late stage cancer. Where the disease was in a very advanced stage 71.9 per cent of the patients died, and only 8 per cent 6howed an apparent cure. Obstinate Sores. Dr. Holmes points out that cancel starts as a local infection, and, i treated at that stage, can be cured. 11 spreads fairly rapidly through the tis sues of the body, and once it has spreac to other regions is practically impossibl. to deal with effectively. Any obstinate sore or ulceration o the tongue or mouth or other part o the body, which persists in spite o efforts to heal it, should be immediatel; referred to a doctor.

Hardening of the tissues or formation of a lump near the skin surface should also be diagnosed at once. Deep-seated cancer is much more difficult to discover, as there is no pain in the early stages, but any persistent discomfort internally should be suspected.

In cases of rodent ulcer, which usually can be detected in the early stages, the percentage of deaths of patients treatedl

before the disease spread was, during the period under review, only 0.5, compared with 4o in very advanced cases, and 79 of early cases were apparently cured as against 22 of very advanced eases. In addition, 11 per cent showed improvement from treatment, and many of these will ultimately recover. Total Treatments. Similar results were shown with other forms of cancer. When taken in the early or operable stage the percentage of apparent cures was 68 per cent of carcinomata and 53 in the case of sarcomata, compared with only 7 and 12 respectively in very advanced cases. Taking all three forms of cancer together, the total number of cases treated, during the eight years was 21,4-35. Of these, 14,738 were early stage patients and 6717 late stage. Of the early stage cases, 10,940, or 74: per cent, were apparently cured, and' 490, or 3.3 per cent, died, while 2112, or 14.3 per cent, showed some improvement. Of the late stage cases, 1649, or 24.5 per cent, were apparently cured, and 3054, or 45.4 per cent, died; while 2026, or 30.9 per certt, showed improvement. Patients classed as having cancer in a very advanced stage—included in the late stage figures —totalled 1353. Of these 121, or 8 per cent, were apparently cured by treatment; but 963, or 71.9 per cent, died. Temporary improvement was shown by 526, or 40.3 per cent, but many of these died subsequently. Of the 21,455 persons treated for cancer, only 2132, or slightly less than 10 per cent, were subsequently lost sight of, and it is not known whether they are alive or dead. Results Compared. The following table shows at a glance the results obtained by the use of Commonwealth radium (bought in 1928 at a . cost of £100,000), by X-rays or surgery, or by a combination of these methods, during the period of 1928-36, for the three types of cancer. Early stages are shown * as operable, and late stage as borderline, inoperable or very advanced: — SARCOMATA (425 CASES). Total Apparently Cases Cured Died No. P.C. No. P.C. Operable 144 77 ; >! 26 IS Borderline .... *>1 1" ;» £;» 2\ Inoperable .... 148 -'8 J|> i ! » j.>3 Very advanced 72 9 12 o- <-

CARCINOMATA (11.539 CASES.) Operable .... sf>M 4057 68 42(1 7 Borderline ... l'-'B 717 42 411 24 Inoperable .. I>fi(i2 443 17 1441 r>4 Very advanced 1138 S4 7 S.">(s 74 RODBXT ULCER (O4'Jl CASKS). Oporablc .... 8001 OSOfi 7f> 44 0.."> Bordrrlino .. 413 240 58 'M 8 Inoperable... 82 23 1»7 SO Very advnncod 123 2S 22 5o 4->