The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-05-31

as to the first symptoms of cancer and the surpassing importance of the carl fest possible surgical treatment. In this campaign the cooperation of the laity and the medical profession, on the one hand and the press on the other was enlisted. The cancer death rate of Koenigsberg had increased from 5S in 1880 to 110 in 1893, and in 1907 reached maximum of 1S9 per 100000 of the population. The campaign of educa- ton then began to have It's effect and the rate gradually declined to the point of 11S for the year 1913. The decrease does not seem large, but it is most important when we remember that nearly everywhere else the rate Is steadily increasing.
 Even more specific proof of the hope which early operation gives is to be found in the statistics of operations performed in some of the principal American hos pitals. These records have never been studied as thoroughly they will be un- der the plan of the American Society for the Control of Cancer, and there is here a mine of information full of the high est interest and significance to the pub lie.
 Chance of Cure
 A preliminary study of the records kept at the hospital and laboratories of ons ol the largest American centers of medi- cal education shows clearly that the chances of a permanent cure, If opera ton be resorted to promptly, are very high. It shows equally clearly that these chances decrease with every day of de-
 lay. And as the, likelihood of cure be- comes remote, the immediate danger and damage of the operation becomes greater That is to say. new and small cancer may be removed without much pain and without much mutilation, but an old and dispersed cancer leaves serious wound behind it.
 These records have already been ana lyzed and tabulated, for cancer of tho lip, tongue and breast. The statement of results takes account of the conditions said to precede actual cancer, such as to- bacco blisters, white spots and sore places about the teeth. While there is difference of opinion to the bearing of such COIL ditions on the development of true cancer it cannot be denied that in many cases they seem to cause the disease. In con- sidering the result of operations to re- move these 'precancerous lesions.' it should of course be remembered that these conditions are not always by the develop ment of true cancer, and the statistics should be understood in that light
 In operations on the tongue the figures show that the prompt removal of the "precancerous" lesion resulted in 100 per cent of cures. In the second stage, 1 e., that of malignant warts, complete
 
 the actual figures of developed cancer were studied, the proportion of cures dropped at once to 50 per cent.
 In cancer of the breast the danger of delay is equally apparent. In the milder form, called adenocarcinoma, the percent age of cures in all cases was 76, but in the late cases, i e., those in which the cancerous nature of yfe tumor was al- ready obvious to the eye, the percentage was but GA. In the early cases on the other hand 1t was 100 per cent. In these early cases there is a warning lump in the breast, but no outward sign of malig- nant tumor. In the more malignant forms of breast tumor, the general percentage of cures dropped to 36, and in late cases to B. or one patient cut of three. But even here the cures In early cases reached S5 per cent. In other words, the patient raises her chances of recovery from B per cent to S5 per cent, by going to the surgeon early.
 In operations for cancer of the lip the | reports show 100 per cent of cures in | the earliest stages and 75 per cent of cures after complete operation in the later | stages. If the operation was incomplete 1 and the cancer returned, the percentage | of cures dropped to B.
 The evidence so far collected on early | cancer also gives an opportunity for a | message to the people who seek help in | the later stage of cancer Although the | chances of a cure here are less, the dis | ease in many instances is by no means l hopeless. Even when She hope of cure | is remote, surgery looks toward the pro- | longation of useful life and the relief of | much suffering.