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How bacteria cause cancer By 1965, Dr Edith Mankiewicz, Director of Laboratories at Montreal's Royal Edward Chest Hospital and Assistant Professor of Bacteriology at McGill University, had established the existence of mycobacteria-like germs inside cancer by examining human cancer tissue. In the bibliography of one of her landmark papers is reference 0 a personal communication with Dr Eleanor Alexander- ackson.” One of the cancers under Mankiewicz's trained eye was ung cancer. Lung cancer, or bronchogenic cancer, was irst reported in the 19th century at a time when it was practically unknown, while mycobacterial disease of the ung, primarily tuberculosis, was so rampant as to be called "white plague" or, in certain circles, "captain of the men of death”. By the middle of the 17th century, one in five deaths was due to tuberculosis, and at the end of the 19th century there was fear that it would destroy the very fabric of civilisation in Europe. On ARATE wen TR tA It was initially evaluated for lymphosarcoma in mice, | How bacteria cause cancer but human studies soon followed as more and more By 1965, Dr Edith Mankiewicz, Director of Laboratories variants of nitrogen mustard were concocted and tried." —_ at Montreal's Royal Edward Chest Hospital and Assistant Other related classes of chemotherapeutic agents Professor of Bacteriology at McGill University, had followed, and so did their repercussions. Most had the _ established the existence of mycobacteria-like germs potential to cause a second, entirely different, cancer.” inside cancer by examining human cancer tissue. In the Even tamoxifen, first synthesised in 1962, when used for _ bibliography of one of her landmark papers is reference the treatment of breast cancer was associated with a 0 a personal communication with Dr Eleanor Alexander- twofold to threefold increased risk of cancers of the ackson.” uterus lining (endometrial cancers), some of which were One of the cancers under Mankiewicz's trained eye was high grade with a poor forecast.” ung cancer. Lung cancer, or bronchogenic cancer, was Nevertheless, Rhoads remained committed to the irst reported in the 19th century at a time when it was treatment and at the same time prepared a series of practically unknown, while mycobacterial disease of the major roadblocks to stop Livingston. In 1950, he had ung, primarily tuberculosis, was so rampant as to be barred her from presenting her paper on the cancer germ called "white plague” or, in certain circles, “captain of the at the symposium of the New York Academy of Sciences men of death". by discrediting Dr Irene Diller, the symposium's sponsor, By the middle of the 17th century, one in five deaths he chief editor of the respected journal Growth anda __ was due to tuberculosis, and at the end of the 19th prominent cancer researcher. Diller, like many others, century there was fear that it would destroy the very fabric ad accepted a gift from a pharmaceutical house at one __ of civilisation in Europe. point. So difficult was it to Livingston had come across differentiate tuberculosis from Diller in a Life magazine article ‘ . the newly discovered which discussed a Philadelphia It is poorly recognised bronchogenic cancer that it was cancer researcher who was that the chemotherapy only after cases first mistakenly observing strange fungus-like " " : diagnosed as lung cancer were ilaments protruding from cancer or chemo used against operated on that the benefits o cells. Livingston and Alexander- cancer began as a Weapon surgical resection fe) ackson convinced Diller that her . tuberculosis were recognised.“ ungal forms (the prefix "myco-" of mass destruction Mankiewicz not only showed in mycobacterium denotes a par excellence. the cancer germ in malignan germ with fungal properties) tissue but — significantly were part and parcel of the demonstrated how it probably cancer microbe, and that crucial evolved from tuberculosis and o the microbe's identification was acid-fast staining. related micro-organisms when some of the viral phages Alexander-Jackson's elation over the group's infectious that lived in them jumped germs, bringing genetic breast cancer findings came to an abrupt halt when she materials which altered the target germs’ virulence and was informed by her private physician, Dr Frank Adair, | made them drug resistant. hat she had breast cancer. A radical mastectomy was n fact, beneath her microscope lay a pictorial of how performed at Sloan-Kettering on Adair's advice. the cancer germ emerged from TB-like bacilli to create While anxiously waiting for the outcome, Livingston —_ pre-malignant change in mammalian tissue.” eard her name paged on Sloan's overhead intercom. By 1970, Sakai Inoue, a PhD from Maebashi, Japan, and Rhoads wanted to speak to her regarding Alexander- Dr Marcus Singer, from Case Western's developmenta ackson's ongoing surgery. It was urgent. Alexander- biology centre, had completed the single mos ackson was still in the operating room. In Rhoads's — convincing study of how bacteria cause cancer altogether, office, the two adversaries faced off. Incredibly, Rhoads with TB-like mycobacteria. was asking for permission to go after a cancerous lymph Supported by grants from the American Cancer Society node deep in the middle of Eleanor's chest. Livingston and the National Institutes of Health, their study” used bristled. cold-blooded animals, namely the newt or salamander "We have been looking for a tumor such as she has," _and the frog. But similar studies showed its applicability said Rhoads. to mice” and humans.*” Apparently, a radical mastectomy was not enough. He According to Inoue and Singer: was seeking permission to try a new surgical technique to An organism similar to the mycobacterium described here has go after the deep chest node. Livingston had had been isolated and cultured from tumors and blood of tumorous enough. Just the thought of the cruel, disfiguring mammals, including man, and when injected into mice and procedure made her sick. "Not on your life," she shot guinea pigs has been reported to yield a chronic granulomatous back as she left.” disease, neoplasm [cancer], or some intergrade.” It is poorly recognised that the chemotherapy or "chemo" used against cancer began as a weapon of mass destruction NEXUS ¢ 39 par excellence. DECEMBER 2009 - JANUARY 2010 www.nexusmagazine.com