The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-07-05
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL
Information Bureau
FREDERIO ,. HAsKLN. Dfrector.
Washington, d. Q.
CANCER A COMMON ENEMY.

| is the next common enemy that man
is scheduled to fight. All over the
world this mysterious disease is TAX
ing heavy toll.
In Kashmir, where the natives
carry charcoal stoves like muffs for
! warmth, cancer of the walls of the
stomach is often contracted as a re-
| suit OF the continuous heat and irrita-
ton. In the Philippines native women
| chew the fiery betel nut and even
| park wads Of their favorite chew in
| the cheek over night. Cancer of the
cheek with them is common malady-
| among highly civilized races the
| disease finds more victims than among
/ the Asiatics. Cancer is taking MORE
| lives in our own country each year
than we lost in the war. One person
| in every ten who lives to be more
than 40 years old dies of cancer. The
death rate from it in this country is
| said to be on the increase.
| This is the situation as detailed by
the American Society for the Control
| the society believes. Each year the
| organization is holding Cancer Week
all over the country, and doctors and
prominent citizens are giving their
| portance of fighting cancer intel
| ligently.
Gradually people are beginning to
realize that cancer can be cured in
its early stages, and they are learning
10 recognize the symptoms. But there
are still people who believe that can
Ger is inevitably fatal and so long as
| this impression remains little eadway
can be made against the disease.
tuberculosis has been checked in
Its devastating advance only since peo-
| pie learned to treat it intelligently in
stead of carefully hiding it as a family
disgrace y Cancer is still widely re-
garded from medieval standpoint
1t is thought of as an affliction so
terrible that no one must admit, even
to himself, that he has it until the
worst is definitely known. lump
that grows with sinister regularity is
| Just a little tumor" And if it turns
out to be a cancer the victim COM
forts himself with the thought that
nothing could have been done anyway.
Doctors estimate that a whole year
passes in the average cancer case be-
fore the patient grows sufficiently
alarmed to consult an expert. BY that
time the disease may have spread so
thru the body that even tho the local
cancerous growth is removed the
trouble may appeared elsewhere.
Durable in Early Stage.
This is unfortunate. we are told. be-
cause it is so unnecessary. With all
the mystery that surrounds cancer one
fact shines out. That is that cancer in
its early, local stage is definitely cur
and thru the blood to other parts of
the body, doctors are practically help
less.
The difficulty is to make people
understand the symptoms and the
danger of delay in obtaining diagnosis
and treatment. Cancer is not like
typhoid or scarlet fever, diseases that
run a swift course and leave the body.
1t is more like the attack of decay In
a tooth. 1t implants itself insidiously
p n n
warning of pain In some mole, or
scar, or tiny sore, a few normel cells
become lawlesS. As one doctor puts
it, the cells lose their ability to live
community existence; they go crazy
At first their wild course does little
apparent injury If the wild cells are
near the surface of the skin an abnor-
NAL condition is generally noticed IN
an unusual growth or appearance The
troublesome cells are growing ana d
poison is being manufactured Ine
destructive work is begun. 1t Is in
this local stage that the wild cells can
be controlled. The American Society
for the Control of Cancer is urging
that a lump or other suspicious symp-
tom should be examined by compe-
tent physician as soon as 1t IS noted-
within forty-eight hours If possible
instead of allowing it to go for year
untreated.
Like a decaying 10th, cancerous It's
sue left alone goes from bad to worse
II is estimated that the disease I'M
treated is practically 100 per cent
fatal. On the other hand, even with
the DELAYS that make treatment more
difficult doctors estimate, that SO per
cent of the cases that they handle are
cured. They say that it is unfortunate
that so little notice is taken of cures
Patients who have been successfully
treated often try to keep their illness
a secret, because of the popular rear
of the disease. The lingering, maIg-
nant cases get publicity and more
firmly instill lurid ideas of cancer IN
the minds of the public.
I'VE have heard too much about
these last stages of the disease" says
one member of the local cancer con-
troi committee Almost every one can
recount the history of some fearful
case. What we need is more knowl-
edge of the durable stage"
origin Is Unknown.
No one knows yet the origin of can
Ger. Doctors are practically agreed
that it is not hereditary. 1t is GER
tainly not contagious. Persistent ir-
ritation is frequently primary cause.
Any article of clothing that is allowed
to rub and irritate the skin for long
periods of time is dangerous. When
women wore chatelaine watches on
pins, doctors traced some cases OF can
Ger of the breast to the watch swing
ing to and fro over one spot.
A Jagged tooth or an i'll fitting
plate may irritate the tongue and II
the condition is allowed to continue
and an open sore forms cancer may
set in. If the little white spot that
sometimes forms on the tongue of a
pipe smoker is allowed to become
chronic it is a possible starting point
for cancer. So is any other sore that
will not heal. A wart or mole is or
dinarily dangerous only If it changes
color or grows or otherwise takes on
an abnormal appearance. Any
growth or lump should be examined.
More insidious and more difficult
to discover are the internal cancers.
The disease rarely attacks persons I'M
der IS. After that age man who
suffers from chronic indigestion with
loss of weight and a woman whose
physical functions become irregular