In the early 1900's, few cancer patients had any hope of cure. By the 1930's, some progress had been made, but still fewer than one in five could be saved. At present time, of every six persons that develop nicer two are being saved and one could have been saved if proper treatment had been received in time, in other words, about one-half of those who currently develop the disease should be saved by early diagnosis and treatment. This represents, then, one of the immediate objectives in reducing the mortality rate from this condition. The Strange Cancer Clinic in New York examined patients without apparent symptoms for twelve years and found that they have a cure rate of 85 per cent for cancer of the colon and rectum. The national average is 30 per cent.

The University of Minnesota Detection Center reports that those cancers diagnosed in routine checkups have a cure rate twice that of patients who see doctors after symptoms have appeared. The implications here for routine checkups and early detection are obvious. A new approach that is being used to facilitate early diagnosis involves ways of identifying persons or groups with high-risk susceptibility to particular types of cancers. For example, this could mean routine chest X rays for every male cigarette smoker over forty, and yearly physical examinations for women after menopause.

There are implications in this approach for increased detection facilities, the training of personnel to man them, and a more objective attitude on the part of the general public. With regard to cancer, the unfortunate attitude still persists that what one does not know will not hurt him. The fact remains that that of every twenty-four persons, six will develop cancer. In order to save three of these six, instead of the current two, we must make the most effective use of treatments, facilities, and medical personnel now available.



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