Evening star., 1949-08-17
RadiocobaIt Promises
Cheaper, Convenient
Treatment Of Cancer
By Froncis p Douglas

the number of places where such
treatments can be obtained is q
prospect held by the Atomic En-
ergy Commissions production of
radioisotope Cobalt go.
The Acc refers to radiocobalt
as promising to become an ef-
fective substitute for radium In
the treatment of cancer. In ad-
dition to reducing the cost OF
treatments the new substance
also holds the promise:
/. OF ending the dependence of
the Nation on foreign supplies of
high-priced radium as a source
of irradiation in cancer treat
mentS.
2. OF tending to reduce hos
pital charges in general. While
few hospitals regard their valu-
able stores of radium as an asset
on which a return must be real
ized, investments in radium, which
may range from $4,000 to more
than 100000, form part of the
fixed costs of a hospital. These
costs tend to be reflected in the
hospitals general charges.
$4,000 per Gram.
Practically all of the new radi-
UNI in this country comes from
the Belgian Congo. The cost is
now about $4,000 a gram. al
though formerly it was as high
as $25 900. There is a belief in the
United States that radium is more
plentiful than the cost would indi-
cate, but that the price is main
tanned by control of the supply,
much as South African diamond
sources control the supply and
the price of those gems.
Radioactive cobalt, on the other
hand, Is supplied free by the Atomic
Energy Commission to qualified
research workers. The only cost
is a nominal fee of $40 for han
ding, plus the shipping charge.
For purposes other than cancer
research, the commission sells ra-
diocobalt at a cost substantially
less than that of radium. A nor
NAL unit containing a little less
than a gram Of cobalt oxide sells
for $33 per millicurie.
A millicurie, the measure of ra-
dioactivity. is 100000 disin-
tegrations per second. Radiocobalt
in the form of wire, rods or
cylinders is sold according to the
specific activity. or the number OF
millicurie per gram.
Comparison of Costs.
A gram of radium costing $15,-
900 has one curie of radioactivity
or $1,000. .000,0e0 disintegrations
per second. The isotope Cobalt sc
with the same radioactivity would
cost 81. $50 for other purposes than
cancer research.
An isotope- Of an element Is q
substance Of that element but of
a slightly different atomic weight.
1t it made radioactive by placing
it in the atomic pile at the Oak
Ridge (Tenn.) National Labora-
tory. @f'sa ,.&sy,,.. zss
Some cancer authorities would
be willing now to dispose OF
radium supplies at their service in
cancer treatment and rely entirely
on radiocobalt. Others hold eau
tiously that, according to present
indications, radiocobalt will sup
plement radium rather than dis
place it. Still others have acquired
skill in the use of radium and see
no reason to make a change from
the tool to which they are accus-
toned and of which they have a
supply.
There area number of reasons
why radiocobalt is easier to use
than radium.
Lacks Alpha Particles.
Radium emits highly damaging
alpha particles and less damag-
ing beta particles, as well as the
useful gamma rays. The alpha
and beta particles are screened
out by the metal sheath in which
the radium is used:
Radiocobalt,so ,son the other hand
has no alpha particles to worry
about, and only the beta particles
must be screened out.
Radium has relatively uniform
rate of emission of rays, or atomic
disintegrations. With radiocobalt
the dose can be varied from a very
low one to a fairly High one. Its
specific activity can be built ur
in the atomic pile. although te
obtain a high specific activity
takes from one to two years.
The form in which radium can
| be used is limited. The usual
method is to use it in capsules OF
needles. Radiocobalt can be used
in the form of wire, which can be
shipped off in convenient lengths
and bent. Or the Cobalt so can
be machined into the shape
desired before being placed in the
pile.
# needle Of radium breaks In
use, the radium may remain in
the body, continuing to destroy
tissue. Radiocobalt, however, is
rapidly discharged.
One disadvantage OF radiocobalt
is it's short half life, that is. the
time in which it loses half its
radioactive strength. The half
life of radium is 1900 years.
After it's specific activity is
measured, the question of decay
may generally be disregarded
Radiocobalt has a half life of 5.4
years. After it's specific activity
| is determined. the user consults