Serum proteins in cancer.

Without doubt the greatest handicap to cancer research has been the small number of quantita tive methods available for measuring the activity of tumors. Until the last decade, with a few excep tions, most notably in investigations with War burg techniques, the science of cancer research was attempting to operate without precise measure ments, a feat commendable in the attempt but clearly inefficient if not impossible. This accounts in large part, I think, for the slow rate of develop ment of important facts about this difficult prob lem of growth. Since 19@9it has been possible to recognize the presence, and more recently the activity of several neoplasms by chemical means. With the exception of myeloma, in all cases the component measured has represented an abnormally large concentration of a normal constituent of bodily cells. No specific neoplastic product as yet has been recognized quantitatively. Mostly the devices have concerned the tumors of man largely because chemical analy sis of liquids is somewhat easier than solids and men are juicier than mice. The following com ponents are available for measurement of cancer activity: