Edward J. Beattie

The Value of Preoperative Radiation Therapy in Apical Cancer of the Lung

In apical lung cancer better survival and local tumor control can be expected by complete resection of the tumor than by external radiation alone. Preoperative radiation in moderate doses can improve the resectability rate and therefore influence favorably both survival and tumor control.

Radiologically Occult Lung Cancer: Report of 26 Cases

Despite all available methods of diagnosis and treatment, the general prognosis for carcinoma of the lung is still not good. Yet, it may be expected that in general the earlier a case is treated the greater will be the chance of obtaining a cure. We now know that in at least some cases, sputum cytology provides a tool for detection of lung carcinoma at an earlier stage than has ever before been possible.

Treatment of primary malignant "coin lesions" of the lung.

Resection remains the best treatment in lung cancer. It is unfortunate that at the present time insufficient lung cancer patients are found at a curable stage where adequate treatment would improve survival. Tumors found by chest x-ray are potentially curable if confined to the lung parenchyma without extension to adjacent structures and lymph nodes.

Medical and Surgical Management of Duodenal Ulcer

The panelists discuss general principles of medical management of duodenal ulcer, criteria of intractability, the role of stress, the status of gastric analysis, the chances of successful medical management, and the relative merits of various surgical technics.

Panel on Cancer Detection

Dr. Ellison cites the dramatic improvement in curability of cancer when it is discovered in an asymptomatic stage and discusses exfoliative cytologic technics and other methods to detect gastrointestinal cancer. Dr. F. Jackson Stoddard points out that application of existing methods of diagnosis and treatment can virtually eliminate death from cancer of the cervix and reduce the mortality rate of endometrial cancer to 10 per cent or less. Dr. Donald J. Ferguson examines the indications for biopsy of breast lesions and the significance of the histologic findings. Dr. Laurence F. Greene stresses the importance of rectal examinations to discover prostatic carcinoma and describes corroborative and definitive evidence for this diagnosis. Dr. Edward J. Beattie, Jr. compares the accuracy of procedures for diagnosis of lung cancer and the merits of different modes of treatment.