TREATMENT OF CANCER

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 108, 9 May 1930, Page 10

TREATMENT OF CANCER

VALUABLE RESEARCH

CUKE WILL YET BE FOUND

(Special to "The Evening Post.'1)

DFNEDIN, This Day

The opinion that a cure- for cancer would \ yet be found, was advanced by Dr. A. M. ,Begg, who was recently appointed to carry out cancer research work at the Otago Medical School, in the course of an' address to the Cancer .Fund .Committee. .•■•■•

Dr. Begg said that the be-all and endnH in the treatment of cancer was to take it in hand early. It,was very important that once ■ cancer, had been treated by surgery or radium the patients should pay regular visits, to the clinic. Such a ■ course seemed troublesome, perhaps, when there was no sign of the disease, but it should be borne in mind that cancer had a;habit of recurring, and this proposal was in the patient's own interests. Once cancer had been treated, those in charge of the clinic would be on the watch for its reappearance, and would be able to deal with it immediately if a recurrence took place.

Speaking- of experimental work, Dr. Begg said they-had been promised assistance from notable laboratories at Home. In Dunedin there was only a small laboratory, but.that did not mean that good work was ■ impossible. Eeaearch in treatment: could be carried out here with every . hope, of success because of the excellent collections of tumours they had to work upon.

THE EFFECT OF RADIUM.

■ The actual effect of ■ radium on disease was an interesting study. Ai prbsent many cases treated with radium did not result in complete cures. Cancer was too recurring for that, but there was still a great deal'to be done. They were fortunate to-day in having a clearly defined problem to work upon. . . Dr. Begg, in giving an outline of the proposed plans for the future, said that the first . plan suggested was a statistical inquiry with the object of finding out the ordinary ' incidence of cancer. If they found that out they might be able to. take steps to avoid predisposition to the disease.. Although the past had produced nothing sensational or spectacular in the way of a cure, a great deal of-valuable work had been done, and a. cure < would yet be found. They could do no more than their best, and the very best endeavours would be put forward by those engaged in the work.