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4
CANCER
Cancer continues to take a heavy toll of the population. In 1931 there were 250 deaths from
this cause as compared with 214 in 1930, 239 in 1929, 240 in 1928, and 217 in 1927.
The Council continues to carry on a campaign against this disease.
The public is kept informed by posters and leaflets displayed in the local press, schools, libraries
and health centres. The subject is dealt with in the talks given at the schools for mothers, and by
articles published at regular intervals in the local newspapers. The effect of these measures is shown
in the attitude of patients attending the cancer clinics who are less afraid and more appreciative of
the prevention of the disease.
Facilities for early diagnosis and treatment are provided in connection with the two Cancer
Clinics, which continue to be held on the first four Thursdays of the month between 7 and 8 o'clock
in the evening. Patients remain attached to one Clinic and see the same doctor at each visit. No
treatment is attempted, the object being to get early contact, as suggested in the Ministry's Circular
1136, to secure expert diagnosis and early treatment if necessary, or to give reassurance as the case
may be. For the purposes of further diagnosis and treatment the working arrangement made by
the Council with certain of the larger London hospitals continues to be very satisfactory, and patients
constantly express gratitude for the assistance available.
If a patient is under a private doctor who can be located, the latter is communicated with,
and the result of any examination at hospital is made known to him as soon as possible. It happens
occasionally, however, that the patient does not wish to disclose his doctor's name.
During 1931 95 patients attended these clinics, 23 men and 72 women; 80 were new cases,
and 15 had attended during 1930, and were still under observation at the end of the year.
The total of attendances made was 151, making an average of just over 3 per session. The
largest number attending on any one evening was 10, and the largest number of new cases at one
session was 7. Of the 80 new cases 4 were found to live out of the district and were dismissed, and
1 mistook the Clinic for a gynaecological hospital.
The remaining 75 new cases, after examination, were disposed of as follows:—
8 were reassured and dismissed.
24 were given hygienic advice and instructed to return after an interval for observation.
15 of these were finally dismissed by the end of the year.
11 were referred back to their own doctors, or to a hospital which they had been
attending.
2 were referred to a dentist.
30 were referred to a hospital for further investigation.
Of the 30 who were referred to hospital:—
7 were found to require operation. (4 have been operated upon; 1 is awaiting
operation; 2 have refused operation).
15 have received or are receiving treatment at hospital as outpatients, or are being
kept under observation there.
5 were reassured and dismissed after the first visit.
3 are still being investigated.
The pathological conditions from which the 75 new cases suffered are briefly as follows:—
4 cases had cancer, 2 being men and 2 women.
One woman had cancer of the nipple following Paget's Disease, and this
had been overlooked in the sense that she had seen a doctor some time before
on account of irritation of the breast, and had been reassured, and the cancer
had developed between that consultation and her attendance at the Council's
Clinic.
The other woman had been operated upon a year previously for cancer
of the uterus, and although she had had symptoms suggesting recurrence for
some months, it had not been located and time had thus been lost. She was
sent to hospital, the diagnosis made, and deep X-ray Therapy commenced.
Both of the cases in men were recurrences, one being a rapidly growing
cancer of the lip with gland involvement, and the other a rodent ulcer of the
nose. Both were got in touch with the surgeons who had previously dealt with
them and had prompt treatment.
1 other case in which the pathological findings are not yet complete is suspected to
be early cancer of the uterus.
All these 5 cases gratefully and promptly took advantage of the facilities
offered by the Clinic, but for which, in at least 4 of them, there would have been
dangerous delay.