Some rules and examples in the treatment of incurable cancer

Although there are more incurable than curable neoplastic diseases, less attention is given to the treatment of incurable tumours. Taking into consideration the reasons, three principles of treatment do offer themselves for the therapy of patients with incurable neoplastic disease: firstly, the attempt to extend the limits of curability; secondly, palliative treatment as a temporary relief; thirdly, symptomatic therapy. The most important method for extending curability and for palliative treatment is radiotherapy. Some examples of the efficiency of this method are given, including its use in advanced carcinoma of the larynx, carcinoma of the urinary bladder untreated by radical surgery, Wilm's tumour, and carcinoma of the thyroid.