Smyrna times., 1949-05-05
White Blood Cells
Out of Control Can
Lead to Cancer

Lead to Cancer
In the body two types of white
blood cells act as police forces.
They are myeloid cells made in the
bone marrow and lymphoid cells
made in the lymph-nodes. The
former combat various bacterial
infections and the latter neutralize
or destroy viruses.
The two systems are interrelated
and probably interdependent. When
a bacterial infection sets in, the
lymphatic glands lessen their pro-
duction of virus-fghting cells and
the body concentrates its energies
on the production of bacteria-des-
troying myeloid cells. The reverse
is true when viruses attack. In
health and disease, delicate bal
ance is maintained between the
two forces.
Every now and then the scale is
tipped. It may be thrown out of
kilter by overexposure to x-ray,
radium or benzol products, physi-
cal or mental injury, the use of ar
senicals, or sulfonamide drugs, Ger
tain infections and many other
agents. Myeloid blood cells multi
ply crafty without control, the
bone marrow working constantly
to produce for a system already
over-ridden with them. That is
known as myeloid leukemia.
Or the lymphatic system grows
great producing more and more
lymphoid cells for body which al
ready is being done to death by an
overabundance of lymphoid cells.
That is lymphatic leukemia,-and
there are other forms, Hodgkin's
Disease or lymphosarcoma.
All are forms of cancer. All are
deadly.
Under an American Cancer So
ciety grant, DIR. Franklin r. Miller
and DR. Daniel L. Turner, of the
Jefferson Medical College, are ex-
ploring the metabolic imbalance in
leukemia and testing methods of
righting it.
They and their associates found
in the urine of leukemia ano Hodg-
kin's Disease patients two different
acids derived from the over-pro-
duction of lymphoid and myeloid
white blood cells. alphabetically,
they argued, these may contain
the factors which regulate the
lymphoid-myeloid white blood cell
balance. They may be excreted in
the urine because something awry
in the body chemistry has blocked
their normal usage; or they are
produced in excess.
The substances, extracted from
the urine of patients, were injected
into eight of IL dying patients suf-
fering from Emphatic leukemia.
ALMOST all the patients were child
rem between four months and Is
years old. All the patients died.
But those who had been given the
urine extracts had temporary re-
missions. During these remissions
they were able to follow the norm-
al activities of childhood. After he
lapse death followed, and their
bones, spleen, lymph glands and
liver appeared more normal than
did the organs of the other four
who had not received this treat
ment.
DR.. Turner has separated the
two acids, but has been unable to
obtain either in pure form. He is
now trying, however, to synthesize
them-to produce similar mater
ials of the same chemical makeup
and with similar biological activity.
1t appears that similar substances
exist in the fat fraction of the liv-
era keto acid which seems to
bring about great myeloid white
blood cell production and an hy-
droxy acid which stimulates lynn
phoid activity.
Whether the natural or synthetic
substances ever will have thera-
peutic value is strictly a matter of
conjecture, the scientists say. But
they feel that if the synthesis is
successful, it may throw light on
the chemistry of myeloid white
cells and lymphoid white cell pro-
duction
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