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Show Studies Show False Cancer Beliefs May Impair Early Discovery, Cure Some people believe that a single injury, such as a blow in tne oreast, can cause cancer, j Some believe that cancer is hereditary, that parents pass it ; on to their children. I Many believe that cancer is generally incurable, and that mere is nothing the individual can do to protect himself and his family. All these, false beliefs and many others are dealt with in the first five of a series of popular pop-ular pamphlets on cancer, publication pub-lication 01 which is announced by John L. Thuiston, acting administrator, ad-ministrator, Federal Security agency. . ihe pamphlets, which were prepared by the National Cancer Can-cer Institute ot the National Institutes In-stitutes of Health, Public Health Service, emphasize that early cancer is frequently accompanied accompan-ied by warning signs and symptoms, symp-toms, ana tnai persons who can recognize tnem and obtain prompt meaical attention can usuauy be cu.ed. 'ihe first of the publications, "Cancer What to Know, What to do About It," is an illustrated folder that describes the cancer process, the known facts about its causes and approved methods of treatment, and lists the most usual signs of possible early cancer. can-cer. The other four pamphlets, which were prepared in cooperation coopera-tion with the American Cancer Society, discuss in simple, interesting inter-esting language but with scientific scien-tific accuracy the essential facts about cancer of specific sites of the body. One of these is on cancer of the breast, a second is on female reproductive organs; a third on the digestive tract, and a fourth on the mouth and respiratory tract. Later pamphlets pam-phlets in the series will discuss cancer of the genito - urinary tract and skin cancer. "Through personal alertness to the signs and symptoms of early cancer, the American people peo-ple could prevent up to 100,000 unnecessary cancer deaths a year," according t o Surgeon General Leonard A. Scheele, of the Public Health Service. "With becoming a nation of cen-cerphobes, cen-cerphobes, we can learn and apply ap-ply the few simple precautions that every citizen ought t o know. Watchfulness for possible cancer can-cer symptoms should be as commonplace com-monplace and matter-of-fact as watching the traffic lights while driving a car. If you notice any of tne signs or symptoms, there is no cause for panic. They probably prob-ably signify a condition other than cancer, but to make sure, g'o to your physician for a thorough thor-ough examination. The best safeguard, safe-guard, especially if you are over ov-er 35, is to have a complete physical examination at least once a year." |