Virus Cause Of Leukaemia ?

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31329, 28 March 1967, Page 2

Virus Cause Of Leukaemia ?

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

MELBOURNE, March 27. The director of the Walter and Ewiza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Professor G. J. V. Nossal, said today that three scientists associated with the institute might have discovered the cause of leukaemia.

The scientists are two Australians, Dr. Donald Metcalf and Dr. Ray Bradley, and an American, Dr. W. W. Robinson, of the University of Colorado Medical Centre, Denver. Dr. Metcalf, who is head of the institute’s cancer research unit, is continuing his research work at one of America’s largest cancer research institutes—the Roswell Park Memorial Institute at Buffalo, New York. He is expected to return to Melbourne in about four weeks.

Dr. Robinson is acting head of the cancer research unit and Dr. Bradley is a member of the department of physiology at Melbourne University.

The scientists believe leukaemia (cancer of the blood) is caused by viruses widespread in the population. Professor Nossal said that research strongly indicated that viruses caused leukaemia in animals and that the viruses were present throughout the animal world. “These viruses cause no harm in the majority of animals but can cause leukaemia when the right genetic factors are present in the host,” he said. Professor Nossal said fac-

tors such as natural mutations during division of cells, radiation, certain chemicals and certain drugs caused the abnormalities which allowed the virus to express itself and infect the animal. He said the three scientists, after months of intensive research work at the institute, believed the same situation applied to humans and explained why only a small percentage of the population became leukaemia although the virus was widespread.