CANCER AND THE LYMPHOID SYSTEM 273 



to that particular antigen, and through prolonged overstimulation 

 a general myelogenous and lymphatic maladjustment is produced 

 which is in many respects comparable to the general leukaemias 

 of different origin. "Many people," says Ward, "consider that 

 leukaemia is of the nature of a malignant growth as, for instance, 

 cancer of the stomach is a malignant growth." Again he says: 

 "That there are analogies between cancer and the leukaemias no 

 one will deny." He adds that in his opinion these analogies are 

 not sufficient to bring the two into the same class ; admitting at the 

 same time that theories in the matter are at present only tentative, 

 and going on to say that: "If leukaemias are cancer, then the 

 metastases of cancer are not due to emboli from a primary growth 

 nor to spread by direct continuity along lymphatics, but are pri- 

 marily formed in each situation in which they occur under the 

 influence of the same stimulus that produced the original tumor." 

 To be sure, Ward thinks that most pathologists will not subscribe 

 to this view of cancer metastases, and so will reject the analogy 

 which suggests that leukaemia is to be regarded as a form of new 

 growth of the bone marrow or glands. He adds, however, that 

 "the theory and the analogy form a fascinating and possibly pro- 

 ductive field for discussion and research." 



There is no occasion here to enter into detailed discussion of 

 the pathological questions involved. My object in referring to 

 it is to emphasize the view that the presence of a cancerous 

 growth implies a profound dyscrasia of the lymphoid tissues. 

 There is of course nothing new in this view, although it may per- 

 haps be said that there is novelty in the explanation of the fact 

 just offered, the suggestion, namely, that the lymphatic hyper- 

 trophy may be a direct result of the response to the antigenic 

 stimulus of the decompounding cancer cells. 



From a practical standpoint, the importance of the matter lies 

 in the fact that a full recognition of the conditions will prevent 

 anyone from supposing that he has effectively treated a case of 

 cancer when he has merely removed a local neoplasm. 



More specifically, the matter is important in the present con- 

 nection as emphasizing the view that a cancer patient, before he 

 comes into the hands of the physician, has undergone a radical 

 course of protein treatment. This fact is immensely significant 

 in its bearing on the practicalities of a subsequent course of pro- 

 tein treatment at the hands of the physician. 



If the view just presented is accepted, for example, it becomes 

 obvious that any further treatment based on the administration 

 of cancer proteins (and such treatment has been suggested and 

 extensively tested) would be illogical in the highest degree. All 

 that cancer proteins can accomplish as antigens has already been 

 accomplished, and the net result is that the patient still has a 



