CANCER RESEARCH

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 150, 22 December 1938, Page 4

CANCER RESEARCH

THE EMPIRE CAMPAIGN

BROTHERHOrOD OF SCIENCE

ANNUAL REPORT

(By Air Mall, from "The Post's" London

Representative.) LONDON, December 1. The recently-announced Government measures to extend - Tacilities for the most expert investigation and treatment of all cases of cancer adds particular interest to the 15th Annual Report of the British Empire Cancer Campaign, published yesterday. 'It is now well known that .this represents a central authoritative body, which at once acts as a sort of clear-ing-house for all available information - upon every aspect of the cancer problem. ■ '; It also helps to co-ordinate research and prevent unnecessary overlapping, and receives reports of progress from an enormous number of hospitals a'hd laboratories throughout- the British Empire—many of which arc-in intimate association with workers of .every, nationality all over the world v - It is, as Mr. Lockhart-Mummery, the hon. secretary of the campaign, sug- - gests in his preface to the'report, an ' outstanding example of that brother- ■ ■ hood of science which happily knows no frontiers. ■ ■ URGENT PROBLEM. : '-' " The prdblem to be solved is an urgent one. For although it may not, perhaps be the case that cancer'is relatively on the increase, since it is essentially, - though not always, a diseases of those middle and later years into which far more people are now living,, it is of almost world-wide incidence, native races and animals being also subject to itIt is a condition in which certain body cells, to use a definition included - in the report, more.or less lose their differentiation, gain the power to' invade other tissues, and are • able to multiply indefinitely. That is basically : ;' true of all malignant growths, in what- -v - ever part of the body they may become manifest. ■ ' . To discover why this happens to these cells would be to discover the cause of cancer; and workers all over the world are studying every aspect b£ this part of the cancer problem. TESTS ON FOWLS. ' , That it may be due, or partly due,'to . - a living organism or virus is one theory, and seems-' to have been proved, beyond reasonable doubt,' "jn the case of certain malignant growths, affecting fowls. , , , ■ Indeed, workers in this particular1 , field/as instanced in the report from ■ ' the Middlesex Hospital, can now claim to possess exact knowledge'of the sfza and characteristics of this.virus. But, :'' at the present moment this' cannot be \ ■ said with regard to similar 'growths affecting mankind. . That there must also be some other factor present is, however, ; almost equally certain; and another group;of workers, particularly at- the Royal Cancer Hospital (Free), have been aljle to produce various chemical substances, of which' 1:2:5:6. dibehzan'ttfrene is an example,, that-have. $he pbwer—at any rate, in'certain animals +-of inducing the appearance of malighant growths with great_constanc#. Formerly, this was believed to be the result of "irritation." But recent work goes to suggest that, irv. fact, ..these substances may'act by -continually unhibiting the natural growth of normal cells until the point.comes when, in ' ■ popular phraseology, they go wild and - become malignant. • INHERENT DEFECT. , Another . considerable body 'of evidence can be adduced in support of the theory that:there may be a biological ' factor, some inherent defect or abnormality in the reproduction elements of certain cells or groups of . cells—and, possibly, in.'respect of. some particular organ of .the body The work of Dr. Gorer at the Lister Institute tends to confirm that there may be some hereditary factor, or in- . herited predisposition, partially, at. any rate, • responsible for the. ultimate . development of cancer. Turning to treatment, it can only be _\ , emphasised again that, in the present j state of our knowledge, complete surgical removal at the earliest possible moment still holds, the field and can ani does effect many permanent cures, ~ as the evidence in this report makes clear. The Duke of Gloucester, reminding the annual meeting of the British Empire Cancer Campaign-, at the House of Lords yesterday that a cancer research centre was to be established at Oxford University, said:— "I hope that Cambridge University, of which I was at one time an undergraduate, may find it possible to es- / tablish a similar research centre, and that these two ancient homes of learning may vie in friendly rivalry for the honour of making further discoveries in the crusade against cancer." • t Recalling the Government ..intention • to provide facilities for earlier diagnosis, treatment and after-care of* cancer patients, the Duke said, "Anything which helps the amelioration of the suffering of those afflicted with cancer must have the whole-hearted sympathy of this campaign, which is working so hard." The Duke read a letter from Mr. Walter Elliot, the Minister of Health, stating that' under the national scheme the work of the Empire Cancer Campaign would 'be more than ever needed. ______«_»-. ■