Cancer: Its Cause and Treatment, Volume 2 (of 2)Bulkley, Lucius Duncan
Science
Cancer: Its Cause and Treatment, Volume 2 (of 2)
Bulkley, Lucius Duncan
Cancer
All these and other points regarding the metastasis of cancer form a
very interesting study, but time does not permit of further elaboration.
All know that while primary carcinoma of the liver is very rare, its
secondary or metastatic involvement is very common. The bones, lungs,
spleen, kidney, and viscera generally are all often found to be the seat
of metastases, and in general carcinosis, which has lasted some time,
metastases will be found abundantly both in the lymphatics of many parts
of the body and in many organs and tissues. Metastases in the lungs are
not uncommon in breast cancer, as also metastasis in the bones of the
thorax. In the last lecture reference was made to the frequency of
metastases in the skeletal structures of the body, which probably have
much to do with the pernicious anemia which carries off the patient.
An interesting study relates to the extension of the carcinomatous
process in the skin; this occurs at first near, and then around, and
even at a distance from the site of an operation, especially after
removal of the breast. These nodules are at first small, and felt deep
in or below the skin, and are not colored. They steadily increase in
size, and when about that of a small pea, they become red and elevated a
line or so. Later they may appear more numerous and even involve a large
area, forming the so-called _cancer en cuirasse_, and may ulcerate.
Sometimes single lesions of some size may appear here and there, even
some distance from the site of the original tumor, and may not be
colored. While these may represent lymphatic infarctions, it is often
impossible to trace any direct connection with lymph ducts, and they
more probably arise from capillary deposits of cancerous elements. I
have frequently had these scattered cutaneous lesions excised, in cases
under medical treatment, with a view of removing mechanically some of
the foci from which the disease could be spread. The wounds have
invariably healed promptly and perfectly, and no carcinomatous process
has resulted.
The BLOOD IN CANCER has been studied mainly in reference to its solid
constituents, and very little in regard to its plasma; whereas it is
from the plasma that the blood corpuscles are formed, and this is the
principal agent in the development and nutrition of tissues, normal and
malignant. For it is to be remembered that the chyle is discharged
directly into the venous blood current, and the venous radicles absorb
much of the nutritive material directly from the abdominal organs. The
plasma, therefore, carries with it constantly a varying quantity of
partially assimilated material to be oxidized in the lungs, and slowly
purified by the agency of the kidneys; the serum albumen and serum
globulin are also active agents in the formation of tissue, malignant or
other. There is great need of laboratory studies along these lines, and
also on the alkalescence of the blood, which we found to have a marked
diminution in cancer.
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