WAR AGAINST CANCER

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23273, 16 February 1939, Page 12

WAR AGAINST CANCER

The hopeful interest of many thousands all over the civilised world is centred in the vigorous fight which medical science is waging against the dread scourge of cancer. For that reason, public attention is certain to be focussed on the tenth Australian and New Zealand Cancer Conference, which opened in Wellington yesterday. Although it is the first such conference to be held on this side of the Tasman, there can be no suggestion that our own medical men have not played their part valiantly in the relentless prosecution of the struggle. With the limited facilities available to them they have accomplished much of value, but the present opportunity of pooling their knowledge with leading Australian practitioners should give them fresh strength for the tasks which still lie ahead. Intensified research, according to one of the visiting experts, must be the main line of future attack and this must involve a long and arduous offensive never free from disappointments. But it is the logical approach—indeed, the only possible approach —while the causes of malignancy remain defiantly hidden. The only stipulation is that it must be closely associated with diagnosis and treatment. Many cancer patients have recovered as a result of early attention, but in Great Britain at present it is estimated that only one case in four that might hopefully be treated by modern methods is so treated. Doubtless a similar state of affairs exists in this part of the world and it is reasonable to assume that the Wellington conference will devote some attention to the latest British schcmo for developing diagnostic centres. Research must continue, but at the same time every effort must be made to have cancer patients treated as early as possible in order that full benefit may be derived from advances in treatment which past research has already made available.,