Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-04-03
By T. R. Henry
Sfor Stoff CorrasnnnaanA

CHICAGO, April. 3.-The adj
renal glands have been completely
removed in AZ cancer patient.
with two deaths and dramatic
results in about half the survivors
This was announced here yes.
terday by DR.. Charles B. Higgins
director of cancer research at the
University of Chicago. The adj
renals have been described as the
spark plugs" of life. From them
are secreted several substances
practically essential to living
Most of these can be produced
synthetically but removal OF
the glands was always an eventu-
ally fatal operation until cortisone
became available in the past few
years.
The patients treated by DR.
Higgins have been in two groups
men with cancers of the pros
tate gland and women with breast
cancers. Both these types of
malignant groWths are largely
dependent on sex gland secretions
The sex glands in turn are influ-
enced by the adrenals. The ma
Jority of the cases with good
results have been of prostate
cancers. one of the most common
forms among men, Some years
ago it was found that many of
these cancers could be improved
greatly either by removal of male
glands OF treatment with female
sex hormones.
Treatments Failed.
Eventually. however, the treat
mentS always failed and DR.. Hug
gins decided to strike at the center
OF the whole glandular system.
Before cortisone removal of the
adrenalS invariably brought about
the curious and fatal anemia
known as Addison'S disease and
the operation was undertaken
only on the theory that it was
more comfortable to die of this
malady than of prostate cancer.
Cortisone is a complete pre-
tentative of the anemic condition,
so long as it is taken every day so
long as the patient lives. The
prostate cancers for which DR..
Higgins has resorted to this
operation have been, for the most
part. far advanced and he lists
only two classes of results, failures
and complete successes. Men
have risen from practically the
edge of the grave apparently to
complete health and full employ
ment. Cancers seem to have
melted like Jumps of ice.
In the other half of the cases
there have been improvements,
but no claims are made for them.
There apparently are two kinds
OF cancer, DR.. Higgins says. One
IS dependent on gland Secretions
The other is not.
Cases of Women.
Somewhat less spectacular have
been the cases of women treated
Tor breast cancers. The female
hormones responsible for many of
these are precipitated by the
adrenals.
This country may be raising
race more susceptible to cancer. it
was stressed at a symposium here
arranged by the National Cancer
Society for a group of science
writer's by DR.. Lowell T. Cog
eeshall of the University of Chi
cago.
For a long time, he stressed,
the average length of life in Amer 4
lea has been increasing and it
has nearly doubled in so years.
During the past few years, how
ever. it has. reached the point
that today man of so has less
chance Of reaching 70 than was
The case 20 years ago. This is
due, DR.. Coggeshall believes. to
The preservation of weaker
strain Of individuals through use
Of anti-biotics. Thus previously
about 80 per cent of the popula-
ton probably would have died of