GLANDULAPc CARCINOMATA. 195 



The formation of a cicatrix brings the local history of the 

 cancerous tumour to a close ; the same termination, when it 

 occurs at the close of a formative inflammation, is known under 

 the name of repair; yet we should not be justified in saying 

 that the cancer underwent ^'repair" by cicatrisation; for 

 while the reparative process is going on at its centre, new 

 portions of the afi:ected gland are being continually drawn 

 into the vortex of destructive change at the periphery of the 

 growth ; so that the cicatrisation always lags far behind tlio 

 infiltration. 



§ 161. Hard glandular cancer occurs most frequently in the 

 female breast, where it presents several varieties ; next in order 

 of frequency come the glandular layer of the stomach, the liver 

 and other open glands. 



As regards the time at which metastatic deposits begin to 

 appear, nothing is known for certain ; as a rule, they occur 

 within a year. Cases are on record of the radical extirpation of 

 hard glandular cancer, not followed by any local return of the 

 disease ; but such cases are among the rarest in surgery. 



§ 162. Colloid Cancer [carcinoma alveolare, gelatiniform 

 cancer (GaUertkrehs)'] consists of a soft, tremulous and jelly-like, 

 transparent mass of a bright honey-yellow colour. Essentially a 

 variety of hard glandular cancer, it differs from this, its nearest 

 relative, by the entrance of colloid degeneration into the course 

 of its development. To this colloid degeneration are due the 

 peculiar aspect, the structure and other vital peculiarities of the 

 tumour. First then, as regards structure. The familiar term 

 '^ alveolar cancer " indicates sufficiently that it is the prototype 

 of an alveolar texture. The stroma is a network with very 

 regular, rounded meshes ; and if we inquire into the cause of 

 this striking regularity, wo find it in the circumstance that every 

 portion of colloid matter swells, tending, like fluid collected in 

 a limited space, to assume a spherical form ; so that any paren- 

 chyma which, like this form of cancer, is studded throughout 

 with little portions of colloid matter, must eo ipso assume the form 

 of a stroma with spherical meshes. 



Having reached a certain size, the colloid spheres by their 

 continued increase in volume, compress the intermediate septa 

 and cause them to waste ; two or more spheres coalesce and 

 occupy a space whose original form Is slowly obliterated by a 



