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Reflections on biochemical aspects of human cancer. The Lucy Wortham James Lecture
Author(s) -
Bodansky Oscar
Publication year - 1974
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(197402)33:2<364::aid-cncr2820330210>3.0.co;2-3
Subject(s) - medicine , cancer
A general review of research into the biochemical aspects of human cancer shows that certain areas of study have been fruitful, both from a diagnostic point of view and as a contribution to the understanding of human neoplastic processes. But there have been other sectors which were ushered in with great promise and a bright future, only to fade away and lose their specificity for cancer as further investigations proceeded. In illustration, several areas are discussed in some detail: (1) a general blood test for early cancer; (2) enzyme procedures in cancer; (3) the steroid discriminant in breast cancer; and (4) the carcinoembryonic test in colon‐rectal cancer. In general, some of the most common types of cancer have received little biochemical or other basic science study, whereas rare and esoteric tumors have been the subject of elegant and detailed investigations. The reason for this is brief discussed, and a plea is made for the study of the biochemical and other basic aspects of those human organs which are the sites of the common cancers in man, before and after appearance of neoplastic change.