Evening star., 1952-04-05
Doctor Describes
Chemo-Surgely on
External Cancers
By Thomos R. Henry
Star Stoff Correspondent

MADISON, Wis, April S.
Chemo-surgery, bloodless and
painless method of cutting out ex-
ternal cancers which allegedly has
produced SO per cent of three
year cures, was described here to-
day.
1t has been developed largely by
DR.. Fred Mohs of the University
of Wisconsin medical faculty who
outlined the method at SYM
postum on research work ar
ranged by the American Cancer
Society for a group of science
writer's. First cell-killing poison,
zinc chloride. is rubbed over the
cancer tissue. It penetrateS, ac-
cording to the amount used, from
a fraction of a millimeter to about
a third of an inch and kills the
malignant tissue.
The amount killed then is ex-
cised by the surgeon. Since the
cells are dead their is no bleeding
or pain, DR.. Mohs said. A thin
section of the dead tissue at the
greatest depth reached is exam
1ned microscopically for the exist
ence OF cancer cells. If any are
formed another application of
zinc chloride is made and the
process repeated. This is con-
tinued until the microscopic slides
show the doctor plainly that he
has cut away all malignancy.
Several Advantages Listed.
This chemo-surgery has four or
f1ve great advantages, DR.. Mohs
said. First, it does away with any
need for an anaesthetic-other
than a local one because of the
burning action of the zinc chloride
Or of confinement in a hospital
The majority of the patients con-
tlnue their daily work.
The operation is considerably
less mutilating that most surgery
for external cancers, which are
chiefly cancers of the skin fire.
quently found on the face. Ordi-
narlly surgeon cuts away mas
slVe amounts of tissue to make
sure he has gotten all the ma
hgnant cells. With this method
only tissue positively known to
be malignant is touched.
There is less opportunity, DR..
Mohs said, for thread-like pene-
tration of the cancer along mus
cles, nerve Sheaths and bone to
escape attention since the sur
geon. working by stages, can take
as much time as he wishes. In
one case there were so separate
operations before the last ma
lignant cell was reached. The
average is about four.
Shallow Brain IncisiOns.
1t is possible to use chemo-
surgery with any accessible can
Ger. DR.. Mohs said, and it has
even been used for shallow pene-
trations into brain tissue. About
the only type of cancer which |
can be reached for which the +
method is discouraged is cancer
of the breast.
Special training is required to
apply the method, the Wisconsin
surgeon said.
His record of So per cent sue
cess for 5000 cases, he says, is the
best in the world. being touched I
only by the SO per cent record of
one Swedish clinic which sworks Il
chiefly in radio therapy.
In this area" he declared, I'VE J
have eliminated almost all ad-
vanced. accessible cancer"
Essential starvation in energy
producing food delays or pre-
vents cancer, but the application
OF this finding to human beings ,
may be some years in the future,
1t was announced here by two '
University of Wisconsin scientists.
Drs. Harold P. Rusch and K. r.
Boutwell,.
Rat Experiments Cited.
They talked about experiments
with rats. When these animals
got sufficient amount Of calories, ,
such as would be supplied by
sugar. they used the essential
amino acids in their diet to build
up new proteins. nitrogen-contain-
ing food substances which are the !
building stones of all living cells, t
cancer cells. When they
didn't yet sufficient calories they '
burned some Of the amino acids {
to provide energy, so that these (
were not available to build tissue
This was found by labelling l
simplest Of the amino S
acides, with radioactive isotopes {
and tracing its progress through t
the body.
Apparently all the underfed ami
mails spent the glycine and other Ii
elements they could have used for S
cell structure on the energy re- Il,
lulred for a ceaSeless search for t
[ood. The same wao true of ala
nine, another essential amino acid. 10
In its present state this finding g
has no application to humans, the g
1octors stressed because the re- E
striction of diet must be from
birth to death and is so severe that h
he animals are very hungry all of a
The time and never can reproduce. 81
Present methods are devoted to a
hiding the mechanism by which p
ancer restriction is brought about,
The same conditions may be pro- o.
iuced without the extreme starva- n
ion.
81
-, b1