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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1980-03-27, Page 48Pagel2 What has the Canadian Cancer Society done? The Canadian Cancer can be detected when Society has invested present in a con - o more than $30,000,000 in centration equal to one cancer"' researth7,-i ta-leaepeon€ui -1n a million. expenditures have risen gallons of water. to approximately Cancer cells .release $4,000,000 per year. What iiiinute quantities of this - are we getting for our special chemical into the money? Among the obvious answers are the "Cobalt Bomb', developed in Canada and given to the world; a drug called VLB, recognized as one of a select group of drugs effective against cancer; and contributions to the control of cancer of the cervix by mass.screening programs. Among the less ap- parent benefits is, for example, an ingenious method for counting cancer ceTIs, a e illi considered a milestone throughout the scientific world. In spite of this wide acclaim •it is dif- ficult to appreciate its full significance s -ince scientists have only just begun to exploit the technique. blood stream and it ap- pears likely that the blood test will be able to detect this chemical before the patient is aware of any symptoms of disease. The test is the subject of 'a collaborative study in- volving institutions in both Canada and the United States. RESEARCH ON RADIATION Research is being supported which is directed towards the ue improvement-7of--treat— 'ment by radiation. Having developed special Cobalt 60 Beam Therapy Units (or Bombs), one laboratory° is now in- terested in . new equip- ment that will deliver special types of powerful radiations and increase the effectiveness of the attack on cancer cells. In this study, as in others in the field of radiation, the major problem is the sensitivity of normal healthy cells to radiation and the difficulties of sparing, them from serious damage. In parallel studies, research directed towards an un- derstanding of the nature of radiation damage produced in the cell is being.pursued. Research is also being directed to the use of computers to improve calculations of the proper dose of radiation to be A BLOOD TEST FOR CANCER A simple blood test to detect early cancer of the bowel is undergoing intensive investigation. This test was designed in a Canadian laboratory and is of particular im- portance of, cancer of the colon and rectum cause over 4,000 deaths each year in Canada. It is based on the ob- servation that these cancers produce a special chemical compound, called an antigen, which is not produced by nor- _............:..nal-.._.tissu.e....or..-...by other. types of cancer aibwhich Y'. •.; Bequests • from page 11 research and• many • scientists and technicians have placed their faith in the Society's ability to continue making available the funds necessary to .. complete their investigations. ... Also, the rapid growth of research ' with its demands for more space and equipment, involves substantial capital funds which are not readily available through the annual Campaigns. Deferred gifts, therefore, are essential to ensure continuity and growth of.... cancer research effdrts in Canada, in addition to the more direct benefits for ,cancer patients and for the public at large who must be instructed on how to recognize cancer symptom's arid how to prevent cancer. The Canadian Cancer Society needs your help now, while you are alive, to carry on the life -or - death struggle .against cancer. But deferred gifts are a means of further supporting this • great work and ensuring that it will go on as long as a single Canadian is. threatened by cancer. More than ever before, the Canadian Cancer Society. needs the thoughtful -consideration of those who know how to make their giving count. given to a 'patient and to cancer in animals and obtain instant access and man are sensitive to the tabulation. of results byamounts of various patient rby site-ef,cant-er,-,pba rPOng$,Imi .c-PAin OR,. by doctor, etc. body. In some cases the Meaningful statistical tumor may stop growing studies can .now be and virtually disappear if carried out precisely arid a particular hormone is quickly. absent, but renew- its Research scientists are growth ' following also studying the ability treatment with • the of cells grown in the hormone. laboratory to repair It has also been found radiation damage. By that if certain animals controlling growth so that geta continuous supply of all cells are at a given one of the female sex stage in their life cycle at hormones - estrone - by the same time, it has -means of a pellet inserted been possible to into the tissue, they will demonstrate that their inevitably develop cancer sensitivity to radiation of the breast. If -the pellet varies, from time to time. is removed, the cancer This study may suggest disappears and does not changes • in the way in recur. which radiation treat- Such results have - merits are -given.- -•mon-vineed some scien- tists that hormones are THE CAUSE responsible for certain OF CANCER human tumors, such as There are ap- breast cancer. prqximately 600 external causes of cancer - 600 physical, chemical or biological agents capable of producing cancers in man or in animals. One laboratory is studying the successive changes which appear in the tissues of an ex- perimental animal from the time the cancer- causing agent is first applied up to the time of the appearance of cancer itself. The first effect is to destroy a large number of cells. This is followed by growth of healthy cells to replace those damaged or destroyed but, during this process, .cancer cells develop indifferent areas in the dam'a'ged tissue. Efforts are being made to find these areas in order to study "why the cancer develops there. In another laboratory the influence of chemicals, viruses., radiation, etc. onthe cell's large molecules' called nucleic acids is being scrutinized.. These nucleic acids contain information which determines the behaviour and future of each cell. If this information were altered by a chemical or virus, it might .be the crucial step leading to the' production of cancer. Some studies are concerned .. with hor- mones. Certain types of Take cove workers IS THERE A CANCER VIRUS? Some of the research supported by funds from the Canadian Cancer Society is concerned with the alteration in the behaviour of cells after they_ are virus infected,. The most interesting changes are those caused by the viruses which are called-• tumor viruses because they cause tumors in animals. When mouse cells are infected by .these viruses, the behaviour of the cells changes and some of the infected cells later become cancer dells. Itis hoped that an un- derstanding of the effect of tumor viruses on cells will suggest . a way to. prevent the normal cells from becoming cancer cells. NATURE'S OWN DEFENSES, Another area of great Get the habit Feel perfectly healthy.? Great! But shouldn't you get the check-up habit and make sure? .You're too busy -. meetings, out with your friends, you like to spend time with your kids - and besides you wouldn't dream of seeing a doctor When nothing is wrong. But doesn{t• your good health make all this possible? Why not protect' r it? Take time - see your r doctor on a regular basis. Give him the opportunity to detect problems at an early stage and •.give yourself a better chance for complete cure. Today there are thousands of Canadians who have had cancer and who are alive and well and cured. Your doctor will know the need for a `procto" (examination of the bowels) and if you are a woman will carry out a Pap Test. Your dentist too! More than just shiny teeth - he can also recognise conditions in the mouth which should receive prompt attention. pi utectiurr--of pigment-in- the igment inr Demonstrate for gond. the skin, take double health. Make that ap- care. pointment today. . Consider. this.... The frequency of cancer of the skin ranks first in men and third in women in this country. And for a long time now it has been known that this type of cancer can be caused by excessive exposure to the sun. Take cover, Workers.... - Anyone .who must work in the sun - fishermen, farmers, lifegpar.ds, construction workers... Wear a shirt and a hat and if ' you are light - skinned meaning that you do not have the natural interest at present is vestigation of how 0 . concerned with the compound called possibility of arousing the nitrogen mustard enters body's defenses to make the blond cells of patients �..-._.. �...._.. with' leukemia-.-fitapp ears`-..'._. that if a cell is resistant to the drug, it is unable to. take in any significant quantity. This brings one back to studies of the characteristics of the cell surface. CONCLUSIONS These projects are just a few of the many studies in progress in Canada which have been made possible by the generosity of contributors to the Canadian Cancer Society. No project is isolated and few are duplicated else' . in the Each represents contribution of one piece to the jigsaw puzzle which is cancer. exact sequence of events that occurs during the development of an im- munity is not yet un- derstood nderstood completely but there are grounds for belief that the so-called immune system is the major natural defense of the body against cancer cells as well as viruses and other diseases. If the cancer cells could be altered to arouse a stronger 'immune reaction, the body might, be able to dispose of them more effectively. 'DRUGS AGAINST CANCER Surgery and radiation have long been the practical means of combatting cancer, but the ,use of drugs (chemotherapy) • is now making a valuable contribution. An out- standing Canadian achievement was the discovery of the drug VLB mentioned earlier. One research unit is concerned with the fact that tumors tend to lose their sensitivity to specific drugs. A better understanding of the mechanisms by which -this resistance is acquired - may teach us how to prevent a drug from losing its ef- fectiveness. Clinical studies are being conducted on the way cancer drugs work. One project has to do with the. action of a compound called , methotrexate,. used for patients with acute leukerrtia. The research scientist con- cerned is comparing the changes in the chemistry of leukemic cells in patients who respond to the drug and patients who do • not, ;respond. The objective is to find a' way of predicting, in a test-- tube, which leukemia patients 'are likely to benefit from' a given drug. Other studies in this field involve the in; anywhere world, the more No respect Cancer has no respect for race, creed, colour or wealth. -Nowadays, thanks to the, . work of decjicated scientists, more and more effective treatments for cancer are.. being found. However, it does not all ' happen without money. This year, the Canadian Cancer Society needs $16.5 million to continue the search for control of this • disease. Give generously. Beware of the sun.. Sunshine is great, but too much may. be unhealthy. A glorious tan is not always a sign of good health.' To protect' yourself, try a wide= • 'brimmed hat or beach Cover-up. Use a protective lotion. See a doctor if you notice a change in your skin condition (a change in a mole, a sore that doesn't heal). Skin cancer can be suc- cessfully treated - but give your doctor an early, start just to make sure. FASHION SHOW April 29 EXETER ARENA TICKETS '5. Theme - Silhouettes of Summer CLINTON Daffodil Tea MARCH 28 Ontario St. United Church 2-4:30 p.m. 1