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VOLUME 19, NUMBER 30
August 4, 1972
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA
Cytology Fights Battle Against Cancer
The field of cytology has proved a
valuable tool, not only in the fight against
cancer but in the detection of various
other conditions as well.
A precise science in only its third
decade of development, cytology uses
body fluids and tiny bits of tissue to help
diagnose a wide range of human ailments.
But its most dramatic value is still in the
early detection of cancer.
According to Dr. William W. Johnston,
director of cytopathology at Duke, the
only hope to cure cancer at present is to
catch it in its early stages of development.
"In many instances,” said Dr.
Johnston, "when cancer is discovered it is
too late to treat it and all we can do is
prolong the life of the patient. But by
examining naturally occurring secretions
obtained through examination, the
cytopathology laboratory can detect
cancer even when the individual is not
experiencing any symptoms."
For example, he said, a routine part of
every physical examination for a woman
is a genital dytologic smear (pap test) to
detect any cells that are characteristic of
cancerous organisms.
"Fifty years ago cervical cancer was
one of the leading causes of death among
women, but with cytopathology
laboratory techniques, cervical cancer can
be detected early enough to be cured,"
Dr. Johnston said.
The fact that cervical cancers are 100
per cent curable if detected early enough
is a remarkable testimony to the value of
the cytology laboratory, he said.
The most common forms of cancer are
those affecting the cervix, large bowel,
skin, prostate, throat, breast, head, neck,
stomach and lung. Most of these, said Dr.
(continued on page 4)
TRIPLEHEADER—Members of Duke's cytopathology laboratory use the
triple-headed microscope to examine cells for diagnostic purposes. Dr. William
Johnston, center, director of cytopathology at Duke, reviews slides with two resident
physicians.
4 New Appointments Announced
Four new faculty appointments at
Duke University Medical Center have
been announced by Dr. Frederick N.
Cieaveland, University Provost.
Dr. Peter Brian Bennett, named
professor of anesthesiology, comes to
Duke from England where he was head of
the Pressure Physiology Section of the
Royal Navy Physiological Laboratory and
scientific coordinator of the Deep Diving
Program. Dr. Bennett received his B.Sc.
degree in zoology, chemistry, and botany
from the University of London and his
Ph.D. in physiology and biochemistry
from Southampton University.
Also appointed in the Department of
Anesthesiology was Dr. William J. Murray
who is an associate professor. Dr. Murray
is a native of Janesville, Wis., and, prior to
coming to Duke, was an associate
professor in the Department of
Pharmacology and Anesthesiology at the
Upjohn Center for Clinical Pharmacology
at the University of Michigan. He received
a Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin in
1959 and his M.D. from the University of
North Carolina in 1962.
Dr. Robert E. McLelland has been
appointed to an associate professorship in
radiology. Before coming to Duke as an
assistant clinical professor of radiology.
Dr. McLelland served as director of the
Department of Radiology at the
Memorial Hospital of Danville, Virginia.
(continued on page 2)