27. With all these means the measure of success, aside from the technical skill of the operator, depends largely on the duration and the extent of development of the malignant growth before treatment: the earlier such local treatment is undertaken, other things being equal, the greater the possibilities of success.
28. The same is true in regard to the treatment of cancer by dietary and medical means. The earlier the morbid constitutional process, or state, leading to tumor formation is attacked by proper dietetic, hygienic, and medicinal measures, the greater the promise and expectation of success, present and permanent.
29. The cure and prevention of cancer, therefore, and the checking of its increasing occurrence and mortality, depend largely upon the early adoption of such measures as will limit the agencies which induce the formation of the new growth: these are certain derangements of the body juices which tend to bad nutrition and disturbance of the action of the body cells.
30. The simple life, with the avoidance of the dietetic and other causes which have been found to induce cancer in nations and individuals, promises the best hope for the arrest of its rapidly increasing development and mortality throughout the world.
31. It is more than possible, however, that the long continued operation of many baneful causes has produced such a degeneration of tissue in the human race that it will take a generation or more of proper living to make the beneficial impression on the general occurrence and mortality of cancer which is so longed for.
It is quite impossible and unnecessary to elaborate again the facts upon which these conclusions are based, which were given very fully in my previous lectures and book; but we may briefly consider some of the features just presented, and some of the evidence why cancer should be considered from a medical rather than a surgical standpoint. For it must be conceded that both the general medical profession and the laity still regard the disease as belonging to surgery, and look only to the knife for any hope in its treatment. In spite of all that has been done the present outlook for the checking of its rising mortality by this means, and for the prevention of cancer, is bad indeed, as will be shown in a later lecture.