Evening star., 1952-03-19
Fourth Of . Series.

far advanced cancer patients. and
some Of the patients felt better
and looked better. although it is
too early to evaluate the tech
|niuue. The surviving patients are
getting along pretty well on doses
|of the adrenal hormone.
This year an even more daring
and spectacular operation is. re-
ported -the successful removal Of
|a human pituitary ut Johns Hop
|kins Hospital.
Most Important Of Glands.
The pituitary. . pea-si2e gland
|at the base Of the brain, Is some
times called ''the leader Of the
band" It secretes hormones
which stimulate many other
glands the sex glands. the thy
|roid. the adrenals-- even the mild
glands Of the breast to produce
their hormones.
The patient whose pituitary
was removed was in deep pain
with . widely spread cancer Of
the prostate. More than two
months after the operation, he
was still free Of pain. His appetite
was good. and he had gained II
pounds. But he still had his can
Icer. Only time will tell what. II
anything, viii happen to that.
Cortisone Maintains Life.
Up to this writing. this patient.
lstill robust at 70. Is being main
tanned only on cortisone. one OF
the adrenal hormones. It may be
that, at his age, the thyroid. sex
glands and other organs have
slowed down to the point where
they don't need much stimulation
from the pituitary. But If he
shows q need for homones from
the other glands, they too can be
lhad-right out Of the doctors s
lsatchel.
This surgery was attempted
after long years Of research into
the cause Of prostate cancer and
the body chemistry Of hormones.
This indicated that an imbalance
between male and female hor-
mones produced by the male sex
glands lead to the over-growth
of the prostate-and, possibly. to
prostate cancer. The Johns
Hopkins scientists reasoned that
the balance might be restored by
shutting OF the sex gland stimula-
ton from the pituitary. SO they
removed the pituitary.
Difficult and Dangerous
This operation is difdcult and
dangerous. II had been attempted
several times elsewhere. Until nov
the only success" was In one
l lCalifornia patient who vegetated
flor almost two months after the
Operation. He just slept his life
away.
Surgery Is the surest way Of
curing cancer.
If the cancer q early enough
so that it hasn't spread through
out the system and II it hasn't
invaded vital organs. 1t can be
cut out.
Skilled surgeons can remove q
lung or the stomach and cure
cancers lurking there. The cure
rate is not high. because these
tumors usually are far advanced
by the time they give symptoms.
However, two factors offer hope
for the future: educational pro-
grams Of the American Cancer
Society are bringing patients to
doctors earlier and more and
more physicians and surgeons
are being trained In the difficult
techniques Of cancer diagnosis
and treatment.
\ Shock Deaths Reduced.
Harvard and Massachusetts
General Hospital surgeons are
finding that the anesthesia, cyclo-
propane, prevents death on the
Operating table. Some chronically
l III, poor risk" patients have died
under ordinary anesthetics be-
cause Of liver insufiiciency, In
ability to handle the Tactic acid
lof tranSfuSioi1s and surgical
shock. They haven't been dying
under cyclopropane - induced
Isleep-in early tests. at least.
There is no way of predicting
now what next years surgical
surprise will be.
But there is no doubt that new
advances viii be made and more
lives than ever saved from cancer.
Tomorrow: Cancer Irradiation)