The frontiersman. [volume] (Palmer, Alaska) 1952-2005, 1955-07-07
CANCER RESEARCH
AIDS ALASKANS


contributed almost $4,000 to ma
tional research. Twenty-Five
cents out of every dollar contrl-
buted to the Alaska Division has
gone for this purpose, Mrs. Stew
art Durrant, local chairman Of
the 1866 American Cancer So
ciety campaign, pointed out TINS
week. The funds were allocated
by the national office along with
similar contributions from the
other so divisions, to research
centers allover the country where
scientists and students seek new
WAYS to detect and treat cancer,
and search endlessly for its cause
and cure.
In this same period Of time "a
Alaska doctors have attended the
annual refresher courses at the
medical school of the University
of Oregon brushing up" on new
techniques in diagnosis and
treatment Of Cancer in order to
serve the people Of Alaska better
in handling this major health
problem. These refresher courses
are made available without cost
to Alaska doctors through a joint
program sponsored by the Terri
torial Health Department and
the Alaska Division of the Am
erican Cancer Society. Helping
doctors help their patients is
thus fundamental part of the
Cancer program in Alaska.
The Cancer death rate in AL
aska is ascending according to
figures recently released by the
Bureau of Vital Statistics Of the
Territorial Department Of Heal
tn, which at the same time point
out some interesting variations
from the national pattern.
BY age groups, Cancer is a
leading cause of death in Alaska
in age group 25-44. It drops to
fourth place in age group 1865,
and rises to second place in age
group above IS, where it is sec
ond only to heart diseases.
These figures do not, of course,
take into consideration the fact
that with doctors concentraed in
the larger population centers,
there are hundreds Of communit-
les in which there are no dag
nostic facilities, and doubtless
thousands Of people without
means to travel to places where
doctors are available.
It points up also the younger
population of Alaska as compar-
ed with the states. The fact that
many people leave Alaska at re-
tirement age -6 SIS undoubted-
~ has bearing on this variant,
as is also the fact that many
people who 60 outside for treat
ment do not recover and do not
return to Alaska.
The First Division accounted
for more than a third Of the to-
tai deaths from Cancer, in the
four-year period just ended, and
one-third Of this number were
residents of the Juneau area.
Most of these victims were So
year or older Eight of them Gall
White) died without medical at
tendance of any kind.
In the first 10000 X-rays clear
ed and read by the Health De
partment, on the X-ray survey
made year ago in which the
Alaska Division participated with
the Alaska tuberculosis Associa-
ton and the Health Department,
l8 cases of lung turnor were dis
covered. These included readings
Of X-rays on highway points
starting at Haines and including
Fairbanks. The returns. on the
highway points south of Fair
banks and including Anchorage
have not been reported.
Palmer and Anchorage have
chosen July for Crusade month
and mapped out comprehensive
plans for an overall campaign
which will include several forms
Of fund raising. Mrs. Durrant
will be assisted by Mrs. Cy Brew
er who will be working as educa-
tional chairman. Collection cans
will be distributed throughout
the business section and public
gathering points in the city and
appeal letters will be mailM
throughout the valley sections.