CHEMISTRY or ('i:irr\i\ si-rr/ric ri uons 509 



patients, lu ibUpport of Freuiul and Kaniiner's observation is the 

 experiment of Neuberg ^^ who found that cancer cells plus noi'mal 

 serum underwent digestion more rapidly than cancer cells plus cancer 

 serum, as measured by the incoagulable nitrogen. A critical test of 

 many reconunended methods of serum diagnosis of cancer by Hal- 

 pern ^^ gave disappointing results. With the von Uungern technic he 

 obtained 80 per cent, of positive results, with, the meiostagmin reaction 

 85 per cent., but with the Abdei'halden method but 30 per cent. The 

 other methods he finds of little value. The testimony concerning the 

 specificity of the Abderhalden reaction in cancer is so conflicting that 

 it seems unprofitable to discuss it, the results varying from such as 

 those cited by Ilalpern above, to 100 per cent, correct reactions de- 

 scribed by others. INfuch weight, however, must be given to the en- 

 tirely unsuccessful attempts to establish the principle of this reac- 

 tion with refined chemical methods by Van Slyke.^*'' Coca '■^^ obtained 

 entirely unsatisfactory results with both the von Dungern comple- 

 ment fixation test and the Freund-Kaminer reaction. 



]Many observations have been made on the antitryptic activity of 

 the blood in cancer (see Chap, iii) which has usually shown an in- 

 crease (in all but about 10 per cent, of the cases) ; but many other 

 conditions, especially cachexia, may cause positive reactions. Cancer 

 serum is said to have a heightened power to activate pancreatic 

 lipase.^^ 



B. CHEMISTRY OF CERTAIN SPECIFIC TUMORS 



In the literature are to be found a few studies of chemical features 

 of some forms of tumors, which may be briefly discussed to advantage. 



(1) BENIGN TUMORS 



(a) Fibromas and Myomas. — The few specimens studied show 

 but a small amount of nucleoprotein, as might be expected from the 

 small amount of their nuclear material. Because of the tendency of 

 fibromas to undergo retrogressive changes, the amount of calcium is 

 likely to be large. No studies as to the special features of their col- 

 lagen, as compared with normal connective-tissue collagen, seem to 

 have been made. Lubarsch ^^ found no glycogen (microscopically) 

 in any of 66 fibromas he examined. Wells and Long ^" found that in 

 uterine fibro-myomas but one per cent, of the total nitrogen is purine 

 nitrogen, distributed as guanine, 44 per cent, ; adenine, 31 per cent. ; 



i3Biocliem. Zeit., 1910 (26), 344. 



i4Mitt. Grenz. Med. Cliir., 1013 (27), 370. See also Mioni, Tiimrri. 1014 (3), 

 697. 



i4aArdi. Int. :\Ied.. 1917 (10), .56. 



i*t( Jovir. Cancer Research, 1917 (2), 01. 



15 Shaw-Mackenzie, Proc. Rov. Soc. Med. (Pharmacol), 1012 (5), 152. 



leVirchow's .Arch., 1906 (183), 1S8. 



IT Zeit. Krebsforsch., 1913 (12), 598. 



