PART II 



CANCER: INTERPRETED IN THE LIGHT OF THE 



PROTEOMORPHIC THEORY AND THE 



PROTEIN RESPONSE 



SECTION I 

 THE NATURE OF CANCER 



In the paper of October 2, 1915, in the New York Medical 

 Journal, I suggested the following definition and interpretation 

 of cancer: 



One might define cancer, in the light of the present theory, 

 as a systemic condition characterized by the development of 

 neoplastic cells of a somewhat embryonic type, in conjunction 

 with an excess of leucocytes in the blood and a deficiency [actual 

 or relative] of red blood corpuscles. 



It must further be postulated that the neoplastic cells are of a 

 type susceptible to the attacks of leucocytic enzymes, so that there 

 is a constant tendency to disintegration of some of these cells 

 under the attacks of the white blood corpuscles. Meanwhile, the 

 deficiency [actual or relative] in red blood corpuscles makes it 

 impossible for the system to deal adequately with the partially 

 hydrolyzed protein products resulting from the breaking down 

 of some of the new cells under the attacks of the leucocytes. 

 The net result is a condition of protein poisoning or autointoxi- 

 cation which, when fully developed, constitutes the characteristic 

 "cancer cachexia," and ultimately causes the death of the patient. 



It should be observed that this new definition of cancer explains 

 the hitherto obscure fact that almost any kind of new growth 

 in the organism may on occasion take on the characteristics of 

 malignancy. A fibroid tumor of the uterus, for example, is not 

 ordinarily "malignant" because its tissues are of a type that the 

 leucocytic enzymes cannot readily attack largely, perhaps, be- 

 cause of their slow development and firmness of texture. Yet 

 on occasion, as is well known, portions of a fibrous growth may 

 become susceptible to disintegration under the attacks of the 

 bodily enzymes ; and in such a case, should the red blood^ cor- 

 puscles fail of their appointed task, a condition of veritable 

 malignancy is attained, and the aforetime fibroid becomes a 

 cancer. 



Ordinarily, however, the neoplastic growth is from the outset 

 composed of such cells as are more or less susceptible to the 



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