CANCER TREATMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 25, 29 July 1933, Page 13

CANCER TREATMENT

X-EAY AND RADIUM

TRAVIS PHYSICIST

Radium and X-rays cither alone or in combination with surgery, play an important part in the modern treatment of cancer. The decision as to which method or combination of methods is best suited to the requirements of the particular case can best be made by a consultation committee of surgeons and radio-therapeutists. This is the course adopted in. tho consultation clinics in the base hospitals of New' Zealand. Tho recent tendency is for a greater number of cases to be referred for radium or deep X-ray treatment.

In the case of the latter greater possibilities aro being recognised for this form, of treatment. There is a general similarity in the radiation produced by radium and that from a deep X-ray machine, in that both radiations are highly complex, and not all the rays have a curative effect. Therefore, it beeqmes necessary to study and analyse these radiations and by a process of "filtration" select just that part of the beam which is known to be active.

It should be explained that the quality of the radiation .from radium is constant, while that from a deep X-ray machine varies with the construction and design of the plant. So that some measure of uniformity may be obtained by workers in this field, it becomes necessary to calibrate the output of radiation from each plant. There are very great technical difficulties in this work which require special knowledge of this branch of physics, and special apparatus. RECENT DEVELOPMENTS. At the fourth Australian cancer conference, held at Canberra last March, special attention was devoted to the recent developments in the measureIn order that New Zealand should fall into line in this work, certain recommendations were made by the New Zealand medical delegates, Professor D'Ath (of Dunedin) and Dr. P. P. Lynch (of Wellington) on their return to the Dominion. These were submitted to the Medical and Eesearch Committee of the British Empire Cancer Campaign. Society, and contained an outline of a scheme for a more complete control and co-ordination of the radio-therapeutic work in the various centres. It has been recognised by those, engaged in radio-therapeutic work that the most urgent need is the appoint--inent of a physicist to test and standardise all the deep X-ray plants in New Zealand which are used for the treatment of cancer. As" a result of representations made by the chairman of the Canterbury division of the society, (Sir Hugh'Aeland) the trustees of the Travis estate— Messrs. 0. V. Bergli and Herbert Pearee (of Christchurch), generously offered to pay the salary of the physicist and the incidental expenses connected with his work. The trustees have agreed, after being supplied with particulars of the work about to be undertaken, to pay an amount of £.600 per annum . for three years. This generous grant will enable all the recommendations of the New Zealand delegates to be put into operation, and will bring New Zealand into line with the most advanced medical centres. Modern methods of treatment of cancer necessitate costly apparatus and appliances, and in special dases such as tho foregoing, it is only, by the generosity of, public-spirited citizens that we can keep abreast of the advances in medical science.

The socie'fy has appointed a smalj committee to draw up the conditions of the appointment of a physicist, for which applications will be invited during the next few days. The society has ■decided that, the appointee shall be known as tho "Travis Radiological Physicist." ...