Show Dr Fishbein's Health Talks By Dy DR MORRIS For Fot years ears it iL has hM been en noted that cancer seems to torun run in families but modern studies have shown that thal for forthe forthe forthe the more usual types of or tumors which are widely distributed it is o of little significance In TIn a r recent cent review of ot the subject a a as a's s specialist points out that certain un unusual unusual usual types of or cancer seem to be quite definitely inherited There is the Hie case of one family in which 10 of 16 18 children had a certain unusual form lorm of tumor of the retina the tL tissue ue at the back of ol the eye The parents in iii this family did not have these tumors b but t an uncle on th the fathers father's side did die from the same malady as affected these children The evidence that becomes a available available avail avail- an able from the study of ot twins is of special Inter interest t. t There are 38 cases in which twins tins have been involved in the study of f tumor In Jn 12 cases only one member of the pair had a tumor but of course the remaining member was still stUl living and It W was UI not possible ble to say ay that he would not riot eventually eventually even even- develop a tumor In the remaining 36 instances both members of the twin groups had bad tumors Tho Those e of each couple were in in general of or th the same type affected the same organ and appeared at ap approximately proximately the same time while fh this ki kind S of ot evidence may seem to est establish definitely the importance importance im im- im- im of heredity in relationship to cancer there is also plenty of or good evidence as to the influence of environment en en- Certain types type of cancer ancer are often otten associated w with th unusual habits In one part of Kashmir the natives na na- na tives develop clop cancers of the walls of the abdomen These arc are associated with ith repeated burns from a sort o of earthenware stove filled tilled with charcoal charcoal char char- coal which the people in the northern parts part of oC the country wear around their waists to furnish warmth It Js Ls also alo re recognized that thaL special types of or cancer from coal tar occur among chimney sweeps Moreover it t has been possible to produce can can- cers in rats by rubbing lubbin coal coat tar on their cars ears for a long time I In fact this work was of ot the greatest greatest great great- est importance because it gave ave the scientists opportunity to study cancer cancer can in lower animals animal e a aThus Thus Thu the factors responsible in cancer would seem to be of two types types the the s-the the her hereditary factor and the irritant factor Some Som types of cancer may be the r result sull of or only one of or these others the result of both There is a form of or skin disease in which there seems to be a siti of the skin so that under the influence of ol light lIht there is tion ion leading to malignant changes Undoubtedly all human beings vary in their amount of or resistance to cancer r and in the amount of or likelihood that exists in them to the development of new v growths I While these studies do not deli deli- definitely fix the the cause o of cancer cancel they add a great deal to our knowledge of thc wa in which it develops and thereby increase the eventual likelihood hood of ot control |