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36
General.—In the past a great deal of difficulty and confusion
in the minds of the public has surrounded cancer because of the
numerous agencies concerned, viz, x-ray, cigarette smoking,
atmospheric pollution, cosmetics, cancer-producing hydro-carbons,
hormones, etc.
Cancer is generally considered to be a disease of middle and
old age although in recent times cases have begun to appear in
younger age groups. It is a disease which is rapidly becoming
one of the main impediments to a healthy nation but, contrary
to popular opinion, much can be accomplished if earlier medical
advice is sought. In advocating regular examinations of people
over the age of 30 years, the World Health Organisation has
estimated that three quarters of all cancer deaths could be prevented
if diagnosed early enough. In this connection there is a report
that a pilot scheme in a section of population in Canada has
shown a 45 per cent decrease in cervical cancer among women
who were regularly screened over a period of 8 years.
For a number of years now it has been known that in
some animals leukaemia can be caused by viruses, but that the
incidence is allied to a certain pattern of inherited constitution.
With regard to humans, this genetic aspect has been accentuated
for it has recently been shown that mongolism, a result of
chromosomal abnormality, has a high rate of leukaemia and,
further, that an abnormal chromosome complement has been
found in leucocytes cultured from blood or bone marrow of
persons suffering from myeloid leukaemia.
The position has been further complicated by the findings
of Dr. G. Negroni of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund Laboratory.
who has isolated a virus from the bone marrow of a number
of patients suffering from various leukaemias. The strains of
viruses obtained from different patients have proved to be antigenically
similar, but he is careful to emphasise that the virus
could well be a "passenger" virus and not the causal agency.
Other investigations have shown that some types of cancer
are dependent upon such factors as warmth, humidity, altitude,
and other climatic conditions, and that these may possibly be
due to viruses carried by insect vectors who thrive in these particular
conditions.
Many medical and scientific teams are engaged on these
aspects of cancer and it will be surprising if a break-through
in this field is not accomplished within the next few years.
Lung Cancer.—Throughout the country in recent years there
has been a tendency for cancer of the lung to increase and the