CASES AT CANCER CLINIC

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27404, 17 July 1954, Page 10

CASES AT CANCER CLINIC

FIGURES SHOW LITTLE VARIATION NO GREAT CHANGES IN TREATMENT No fewer than 2578 attendances were made at the Christchurch Consultation Clinic from the year January 1 to December 31, 1953, said a report of the chairman of the clinic <Mr W. M. Cotter) at the annual meeting of the Canterbury, Marlborough. Nelson and Westland division of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society. Of the 490 new cases. 209 were malignant and 281 were non-malign-ant. These figures have shown very little variation over the past three or four years. A detailed analysis of cases has been made available to members of the society, the report said. No great changes in the treatment of cancer have been made since the last report and most of the discussions in the literature have centred on details of treatment. “High energy therapy appears to have definite advantages over standard radiotherapy in the treatment of many cases and is being widely used overseas. We are anxious to use this method here in the form of a radioactive cobalt unit. The difficulty is the cost of the unit, which is rather high,” said the report. “Radioactive iodine, gold and phosphorus are being used by the radiotherapy department. An interesting development is the use of radioactive phosphorus in conjunction with a hormone in the palliation of advanced cancer of the breast. “At the instance of the clinic, arrangements have been made between the respective hospital boards for regular visits by one of our radiotherapists to Timaru and Greymouth. Westport and Ashburton may be included later. This will enable adequate consultation clinics to be set up in these centres and when this is so it is hoped that the society will recognise these clinics. The first visit to the South Canterbury clinic has already been made and will continue monthly,” said the chairman’s report. Mr Cotter told the meeting that though the Christchurch Public Hospital provided facilities and materials for the clinic the society had been the driving spirit behind it. But for the background of the society, the clinic would have developed into another outpatient’s department. The clinic had given a lead in thought in New Zealand and had played a notable part in the work of the society, said Mr L. A. Bennett, chairman of the society. Officers of the society were elected as follows:—chairman, Mr L. A. Bennett; treasurer. Mr E. A. Adams; general committee, Dr. S. Barclay (Greymoutn), Dr. Gregory (Westport), Dr. F. W. Gunz and Mr D. S. Dodds ■ (Christchurch) were added to the i present committee; finance and exI ecutive committee. Dr. D. P. Kennedy and Mr D. S. Dodds were added: medical and research committee, reelected; delegates to annual meeting !of the New Zealand branch of the ; British Empire Cancer Campaign Soi ciety, Messrs L. A. Bennett, W. M. ; Cotter and E. A. Adams.