CANCER RESEARCH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27273, 27 December 1949, Page 4

CANCER RESEARCH

Mass Of Knowledge Accumulating WELLINGTON SURGEON’S TOUR PA WELLINGTON, Dec. 26. “The prospect of a radical solution to the cancer problem should be regarded with restrained optimism, though there are no grounds for pessimism,” said Mr Rolland O’Regan, a Wellington surgeon, who has just returned from overseas. He said such useful knowledge had been gained by research that solid progress was being made. Mr O’Regan studied modern developments in surgery, especially as related to cancer, and also research and radio therapy work on cancer treatment. •

“ The answer would be no, in general,” Mr O’Regan said, when asked if there was yet any practical outcome of the attempt to find a cure for cancer. “A tremendous mass of knowledge has been accumulating almost monthly,” he said. “There has never been such widespread and concerted activity in the investigation of the .cancer problem, but the more knowledge that is acquired the greater is the complexity of tne problem.” The last great step forward was the treatment of cancer of the prostate by hormones, and the range and utility of radio therapy was steadily improving with better knowledge, technique, and apparatus. “ Surgeons are still extending the range of operations for cancer, but, of course, there is a limit to any further contribution surgery can make,” he said. “At present, the most steady advances in practical treatment are in radio therapy. The treatment of cancer by various chemical agents, the product of the latest research, is of great interest and importance, but it is still in the stage of clinical experiment. The same applies to the treatment of cancer by radio-active isotopes. “In the field of radio therapy, Britain is far outdistancing the United States, but the United States is preeminent on the technical side.” Mr O’Regan said, discussing the progress of research in various countries. France and Sweden were also doing valuable research.