CANCER CAMPAIGN

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 July 1930, Page 5

CANCER CAMPAIGN

USB OF MUSTARD GAS.

LONDON, July 15.

Mustard gas, which, during the war, was used for destruction of life, is now playing a part in alleviating human suffering. This is disclosed in the Empire Cancer report, which states that as the result of recent experiments at Leeds University rats and mice when grst subjected to the effects of the gas are immunp from cancer. w The report, without recording any sensational victory over cancer, records that aj score of well-planned, converging lines of have been . established and an immense amount of preliminary and accurate, investigations have been carried, out. Experts believe that several vistas of real promise have been opened both in the actual treatment of the disease an.d its natural history. The report shows the definite establishment of radium, and, to a less extent, X-rays as proved weapons in the. fight against cancer. Though for the majority of cases surgical removal still holds the field as the most effective treatment, the report states that as regards cancer of the skin, the floor, of the mouth, and one or two othei’ common sites of the disease, results obtained by means of radium are actually better than those obtained surgically. The report shows that there are many cases surgically inopera.ble in - which radium appears to. have effected a cure. Considerable advance has been made in the tech.nique of applying. X-rays to the destruction of unalignant tumours as a result of the St. Bartholomew 'Hospital research. This branch is particularly interesting. Out of 327 inoperable cases treated with X-rays since 1924 48 remained free from a recurrence for periods varying from a few months to four years; 7.2 wore relieved sufficiently to return to work; and 108 were relieved of pain and distressing symptoms to a marked degree. . ,

Turning to the investigation side, the most important experiments were those concerning the checking of the growth of cancer cells . by sodium fluoride. Concerning the similar effect of a certain'spbstance-,.called amylate in the pancreas and salivary glands, an advance has been made in important work in connection with imipunity.