IT CAN BE CURED

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume XXXII, Issue 8869, 5 February 1943, Page 4

IT CAN BE CURED

FKJHT A(IA INST CANCER TAKE MEDICAL ADVICE CANCER OF THE WOMB (A series cd' articles sponsored by the New Zealand branch of the British. Empire Cancer Campaign) (Article VII) Tlie organs of the reproductive sys'em in women are unfortunately prone to malignant disease —the breast, the ovary and the womb are examples. Whether this is linked up with their vital importance to the race, or with the extraordinary rises and falls in the tides of their activity in women, is hard to say. In the womb two forms of cancer occur, the one utterly different from tlm other. The commoner by far occurs at ihe outlet or “cervix,” and the other in tlie body of the womb. < 'ancer of the cervix alf eels almost, always women who have borne one >r more children, and there is some

relation between its occurrence and ;he tears or lacerations which occur commonly during- childbirth. For ibis reason it is always advisable to enquire as to whether such lacerations have occurred and to have them neatly repaired at a suitable opportunity. This cancer occurs most often in tlie forties, hut. also in the thirties, and lift ies.

Cancer of the body of the womb, i'ii the other hand, is almost always limited to women who have been unmarried or who have borne no children. h comes in the forties or fifties, sometimes later. Sometimes it develops after years of pain and suffering at the time of the monthly period. At other times it arises without such warning. In both kinds the chief symptom is unusual bleeding-, or the discharge of blood-stained watery fluid. In the case of the cervix this goes on. irrespective of the usual period times, la the case of the body, the bleeding, at first at any rate, tends to take the form of prolonged or profuse periods, later becoming continuous. In either case anaemia and general weakness may supervene, hut pain and loss of weight and interference with the bladder come later. Inasmuch as these symptoms arc much more often due to disorders of the periods from simple -not malignant --causes, such as ovarian disorders and the change of life, it is necessary to seel; competent advice to ascertain the cause. This should be done as soon as a definite departure from normal has occurred. In both kinds the prospects from modern treatment in early and fairly earl\ cases are good. Radium is used for the cervix, and operation for the body. Valuable relief can lx* expected when the case is beyond radical cure.