FACTS TO BE CONSIDERED

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 115, 19 May 1925, Page 7

FACTS TO BE CONSIDERED

NO ALARMING INCREASE.

The Health Department for some years past, in its annual reports, has drawn attention to the need of early- treatment of this disease; but in surveying the apparent increase m incidence, due consideration should bo given to the following facts before assuming, as is commonly done, that the disease is increasing rap"iSly-:—

1. In some civilised countries, and particularly in New Zealand, the death-rate has become steadily lower and the span of life has steadily increased. Since cancer.is a disease almost entirely confined to persons of 35 years of age and over, this means that longer life produces more cancer; that is to say, man is saved from typhoid, tuberculosis, and other diseases to die later of cancer, it is to be noted, however, that despite cancer deaths, the span .of life continues to increase.

2. The Registrar-General of England has definitely stated that the increase in cancer is not real, but is due to better diagnosis of this distfnse, and better collection of Tecords by the Statistical Department. For example, coincident with the rise in the cancer death rate there hus been a decline in. deaths from abdominal disease, peritonitis,. intestinal obstruction, tumour, and other badly defined forms of disease The increase of male deaths from cancer is much greater than the increase of female deaths, and since- much male cancer is abdominal, it is reasonable to think that some of this increase is due to better . diagnostic methods of recent years. Again, of late years tho Registrar-General has made inquiries from medical practitioners regarding obscure death certificates, and many deaths have finally been assigned to cancer which in former years would have been placed Tinder, other headings. Nevertheless, cancer does loom large as a death-causing factor in New Zealand, and every endeavour should be made to insure it's early detection and skilled treatment.

EARLY TREATMENT SPELLS

SUCCESS

The views expressed by Dr. Wilson as to the essential importance of treating the cases at an early stage are' endorsed by the Health Department, which in a leaflet on the subject says:—

(1) Cancer is by no means incurable if only recognised early enough to give the patient the chance of obtaining appropriate treatment.

. (2) Many a person is living in the Dominion to-day in whom the disease was recognised sufficiently early to allow the cancerous growth to be removed or otherwise treated, and many a person is living who but for the early recognition of a predisposing cause would in all probability have, contracted and succumbed to this disease.

'3) Everything, there/ore, depends upon, the early.recognition of this disease, so do not delay in obtaining medical advicp.

(4) Cancer in its early—and therefore curable—stages is unattended with pain and sometimes occurs without any sio-n of ill-health. "

(5) On the other hand, signs of the disease are at times very apparent from the first. For example, the following signs or symptoms should be regarded as a possable indication of this disease :—

(a) Any pimple, wart, mole, or "rowth that seems to be changing in appearance. . (o) Any pimple, wart, or sore occurring on the lip, tongue, 'or inside the mouth of any person over thirty. fc)- A jagged tooth should not be allowed to irritate and make the cheeks, »ps, or tongue sore. Sores made by such means, or by pipes with rough mouth-pieces, often take on a cancerous character

(d) Any lump or swelling in the breast of a woman over thirty. (c) Any bleeding, however trivial, occurring after " the change of Ufa." (f) Any bleeding from the bowel, especially m persons over forty-five. Ilemember, bleeding J rom the bowel is not always due to piles. (6) In all instances putiined as above memcal advice should be speedil" sought Belay is not only dangerous-delay may mean death. Many refrain from seeking advice from fear, whereas in a ll .probability examination by a -surgeon or sai^Sy! WiU rCUeVe their ~" . (7) There is no doubt that the everincreasing mortality from' this-the most temblft of all diseases of late adult lifecould be stemmed to a very great exadvice sufficiently early. For those who are not able to pay the- usual medical fees the out-patient departments of our public hospitals are always available, where the poorest in the land can obtain ™b* of advice and treatment. <«) Hat above all, place no fail], in the various vaunted cures and nostrums or the advertisements of unscrupulous and ignorant persons. (9) If you have any doubt about yourself you must seek the advice of your medical practitioner or apply to the medical officer in charge of your local hospital.

1° lr;—V> eTe is ™ evidence to support the impression of some people to the effect that cancer is infectious nnd that the disease can be transmitted from one person to another.