The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1913-06-20
CURING CANCER
OF STOMACH
Or. Mayo, After Eighteen Years OF
Special Investigation, Says He is
Satisfied of tho
Cure.
TAKEN IN TIME
Over one-Thlrd Of His Cases Were
Successful While Other Sufferers
Had Their Lives
Prolonged.


ROCHESTER,, Mimi, June 20
Cancer is durable. This was the state
ment made yesterday by Dr. William
3. Mayo. following his talk on treat
ment Of cancer Of the stomach made
before the American Medical Asso-
citation in Minneapolis Wednesday.
In his address before the convention
DR.. Mayo made the statement that
cancer OF the stomach was durable.
The assertion was directly In opposi-
tion OF the accepted theory OF the
medical world that cancer OF the
stomach was an incurable disease.
In an interview yesterday with the
United Press, DR.. Mayo said: After
eighteen years of special investigation
sured 1t is durable disease. Nearly
one-third Of all cancers occur In the
stomach 30 our investigation proves
that cancer is curable disease
"Of course cancer OF the stomach
cannot be cured In all cases. Out OF
1000 cases operated on between Jan
uary /. 1904, and December. 1912, 3TS
resulted In cures, 248 patients were
Improved and their lives prolonged
and 376 We're given up as hopeless
after explorations. Perhaps all
.lof the cases could have been
lcured II the disease had been dag
tnosed in time.
"1yhe main difficulty in the treat,
ment OF cancer is that encountered in
diagnosing the case early enough to
permit successful operation. Pres
ence of tumor does not prevent an
IopeTation. In fact such presence as
Isists In the early diagnosis. Tumors,
food remnants and obstruction are all
valuable signs OF cancer of stomach.
Loss of weight Is another important
sign. Next to tumors and food rem
nants as evidence of cancer, ranks In
Importance the early diagnosis be-
cause 1t shows the cancer itself as 1t
shows deformaties and muscular de-
fects that are evidences OF cancer.
"a history OF gastric disturbances
preceding the cancer for more than
two years was found In a majority of
900 cases. This would appear to in
dictate that cancer of the stomach Is
preceded by some lesion or ulcer. But
the final test for cancer Is the ex-
ploratory operation.
Under present conditions the pa
!, tient who is submitted to exploration
with probable diagnosis of cancer has
over one chance in three for cure
] with little less than one chance In
three Of q palliative operation and
: about one chance In three that the
, operation will be merely an explorar
r tion.
5 "Every operation for cancer OF the
, stomach should begin as an explora-
. ton In the operations for cancer in
4 which nothing further were done,
/ six deaths occurred In none OF these
{ cases could operation have been call
!. led the direct cause OF death; in most
r fatalities the disease was far ad-
d vanced.
e "In an explanatory operation an
8 incision Is made In the eptgastric mid.
:. line and the stomach and accessible
: portions of liver are examined with
e two fingers In case the hopeless con-
S dition of disease Is ascertained the
operation proceeds no further and the
y patient can go home to friends at
y once Under local anaethesia with
movocain the patient is disturbed but
It little.
k Some times it is necessary tc' in
vt troduce the hand for a further exam