CARCINOMA OF THE UTERUS.

J. M. BALDY, M. D.,

PROFESSOR OF GYNECOLOGY IN THE PHILADELPHIA POLYCLINIC, SURGEON TO THE

GYNECEAN HOSPITAL.

Reprinted from the Proceedings of the Medical Society of the State ofPennsylvania, May, iBgj-

CARCINOMA OF THE UTERUS.

J. M. BALDY, M. D.,PROFESSOR OF GYNECOLOGY IN THE PHILADELPHIA POLYCLINIC, SURGEON TO THE

GYNECEAN HOSPITAL.

Malignant disease of the female generative organs is a sur-prisingly common as well as disastrous affection. It probablyoccurs in this region oftener than in any other part of thehuman body. As in all other parts of the body the disease isoriginally a local one, and is as amenable to treatment in justthat ratio in which it is discovered, prior to having passedcertain anatomical limits. When it has progressed beyondcertain stages the disease becomes incurable either medicinallyor surgically, whether it be carcinoma or sarcoma. The sarco-matous diseases of the pelvic organs differ in great measurefrom the carcinomata both as to the rapidity of their develop-ment and the prognosis. As regards the symptomatology ofthe two affections they are practically the same and althoughit is my intention only to deal with cancer of the uterus, stillwhat may be said in regard to cancer ofthis organ may in greatpart be applied to its sarcomatous degenerations, especially asregards the symptomatology and treatment. It is conceded onall hands that the only hope of a successful issue in thesematters depends essentialty upon the stage in which the diseaseis recognized. It is absolutely necessary if we hope to success-fully combat it that we make the diagnosis early—the earlierthe greater the chance of success, which is after all limited.

Cancer of the uterus is particularly insidious in its develop-ment for the reason that it is situated in a portion of the bodybeyond the reach of the eye and a portion of the body whichthe bulk of medical men seem adverse to investigatingthoroughly and from a common sense view. Further the earlysymptoms of malignant disease of the uterus are of such a char-

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acter as to be easily confounded with conditions to whichalmost all women who have sustained sexual relations andborne children are liable, sometime or other in their lives —

namely pain, bleeding, or vaginal discharges, or any com-bination of them. However, an association of these threesymptoms, together with a progressive loss of flesh and strength,a cachexia and family history of cancer, make a clinical pictureat certain stages of the disease which becomes unmistakable.

If the physician waits for the disease to manifest itself soemphatically, in a very large proportion of cases, he allows thedisease to progress to an incurable stage. It is only when cancerof the uterus is practically incurable that it presents a perfectlyclear and typical clinical picture symptomatically. The threesymptoms mentioned are the principal ones involved in thiscondition. Where the disease invades the cervix uteri, pain isalways a late symptom, the rule being for it not to develop toany great degree until the disease has advanced to the moresensitive tissues in the neighborhood of the internal os. Infundal cancer the disease frequently passes to its incurablestage without this symptom developing to any greater extentthan the backache, to which any woman is liable throughoutmenstrual life, a backache to w Thich she may not consider itworth while to call the attention ofher physician. In the earlierstages of the disease, pain is an exceeding rare and insignificantsymptom, and even if it exists, its real cause is so dubious thatno reliance whatever can be placed upon it. When the diseasereaches its later stages it is one of the most distressing factorsin the case.

Discharges in women are so common and vary so in character that in the early stages of the disease they are not of agreat deal of importance. The character of the dischargeaccompanying malignant disease is watery, and should theo-retically be exceedingly valuable in aiding one to at least sus-pect the developing condition. These discharges are howeverso frequently obscured by discharges from other and moreinnocent causes that little attention is paid to them until some-thing else has caused a suspicion of the true state of affairs.Bleeding is a common symptom of malignant disease of theuterus. Naturally, however, this symptom cannot manifest

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itself until the stage of ulceration has been reached. Whenthis stage of the disease is reached little time is to be lost or itwill pass, if it has not already done so, into an incurable con-dition. By the time cachexia has appeared the disease isusually beyond help. Oftentimes the first suspicion that onehas of the presence of this dread disease is the beginning ema-ciation and unaccountable weakness. These conditions veryfrequently occur before any of the symptoms already men-tioned have manifested themselves.

Cancer of the uterine organs at least, is not, as has in thepast been believed and taught, a disease of middle life. Itoccurs as well in a comparatively young woman as in her sisternearing the menopause. Cancer is by no means a rare diseasein women of 28 years of age, but it must be admitted that itbecomes progressively more frequent as a woman approachesthe period of the change of life. The practical bearing of thisquestion is, that with other symptoms pointing to a suspicion ofthis disease, age should not tempt one to throw cancer out ofconsideration. In dealing with suspicious and intractable con-ditions of the uterine organs, especially in women approachingthe menopause, cancer should always be uppermost in thephysician’s mind and should never be forgotten until a carefuland searching investigation of the uterus has been made. It isnot alone in intractable conditions that cancer may exist, but awoman in apparently perfect health may develop the diseaseeven under a physician’s personal supervision, progressing tosuch a stage that little can be done for its relief before it issuspected.

What I would plead for with the general practitioner is thathe exert every effort to demonstrate the existence of the con-dition sufficiently early to give the gynecologist an opportunityto successfully battle with this uncompromising enemy ofwomankind. It is essential that physicians systematicallyexamine their gynecological patients on the appearance of anyuntoward symptoms. If this were done routinely many a caseof cancer especially of the cervix uteri would be discovered orat least suspected long before the disease had progressed tothatstage when the symptoms became emphasized; and the life ofmany women would be saved, or rendered comfortable for

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months, I would also plead with the general practitioner thatinstead of condemning a woman as incurable upon the dis-covery of malignant disease of the womb that he put her in thehands of the nearest competent gynecologist and give her atleast a chance for a cure.

Procrastination in these cases is absolutely unjustifiable andhe, who suspecting the presence of cancer in the womb of hispatient stands in the way of the unfortunate being giventhe benefit of the only treatment which offers any chance ofsuccess, and at a time sufficiently early, will have the death ofat least a proportion of these cases on his conscience. When Isay sufficiently early, I mean within a few days from the timehe first suspects the disease—a delay only sufficiently long toacquaint the friends of the patient with the facts and tocommunicate with the consultant. Cases are so frequentlyreferred to me for treatment when it is impossible to do any-thing for their benefit that it would appear as though theimportance of this subject had not impressed itself upon theprofessional mind. For this reason, if for no other, I cannottoo strongly urge upon you for the welfare ofyour patients thatyou act upon a suspicion, if it be reasonably well founded. Toawait certainty is often to await inevitable disaster, the diseaseat time develops so rapidly and insidiously.

As showing that there is no exaggeration in these words, how-ever strong they may appear, I may cite several cases: A youngwoman about 30 years of age was delivered of a full term childby her physician who assured me that at the time of her con-finement there was no evidence whatever of malignant diseaseof the cervix; nine months later she was referred to me by herattendant with the diagnosis of epithelioma of the cervix,which proved to have progressed to such a stage that bothbroad ligaments were involved and the caserendered hopeless.

A woman approaching middle life was referred to me fromthe central part of the state by her physician, for uterinetrouble. She complained simply of a slight backache, a slightbut unusual and increasing amount of menstrual flow;together with a feeling of general weakness. The uteruswhen removed was found to be filled with a large mass ofmalignant proliferation. I might readily multiply examples

125CARCINOMA OF THE UTERUS.

of this character but these amply exemplify the points I wouldillustrate.

The diagnosis of cancer of the uterus must often of necessitybe problematic. The uterine scrapings seldom give any certainassurance as to the condition in the early stages of the diseasewhich we are considering. A proliferation of the cells liningthe utricular gland as shown by the microscope is commonlycalled adenoma; and is presumed to be a benign affection. Ifthese cells be found to have broken their way through the wallof the glands and to be infiltrating the surrounding tissues enmasse the disease is called adeno-carcinoma or the commoncancer of the fundus. When we consider that the so-calledbenign adenoma is in many cases merely the first step of theadeno-carcinoma we are justifiable, in view of the rapiddevelopment of these diseases, when once they start, in con-sidering them all cancers. Until the cells in the gland havebroken their way through into the connective tissue the diseasemay be benign, but he who acts upon this assumption willlose many patients from cancer. My own belief is that sucha thing as benign adenoma of the uterus does not exist—thatthey are all beginning cancers. So uncertain are pathologiststhemselves upon this point that it is rare indeed after havinggiven one of these specimens of scrapings from a suspectedwomb which shows so-called adenomatous change, that youwill be able to induce him to commit himself as to its benigncondition. So thoroughly unsatisfactory are the pathologicalreports, that I have come to attach very little importance tothem and rely mainly upon the clinical manifestations.

The cervix uteri is readily amenable to inspection, andcancer of this portion of the organ may more readily be earlydiagnosed. The disease is usually of the epitheliomatousvariety and soon breaks down into ulceration. A progressivelyspreading and deepening ulcer of the cervix is always signifi-cant. If the disease he of the scirrhus variety, the infiltrationof the cervix, its density and marked contrast to the fundaltissues, together with the pain, loss of flesh and strength, evenbefore ulceration has taken place, are not easily mistaken. Whenulceration has taken place and proliferation has begun themost ignorant wr ould hardly mistake the condition. In both

126 BALDY,

the epithelioma and scirrhus carcinoma of the cervix, thedisease is most commonly overlooked from inexcusable lack ofexamination—more than from any want of knowledge on thepart of the attendant.

Where the disease involves the fundus or body of the uterusthe diagnosis is much more difficult. A previously regularmenstrual function becoming progressively too frequent andtoo free, without any apparent cause, together with a progress-ive and unaccountable loss of flesh and strength is extremelysuspicious, the more so the nearer the menopause the patientprogresses and the more emphatic the family history asregardsthe existence of cancer. Such a condition amply justifies radi-cal measures, other conditions being first rigorously excluded.This is the more emphatic the closer the woman approachesthe menopause. It is too common teaching that the meno-pause is responsible for all sorts of disturbances and irregular-ities. It matters little how stormy this function may be, howirregular or unusual, yet the fact that the woman is approach-ing or is at the time of the change of life seems to be sufficientexcuse for physicians to ignore the true condition of affairs,until it is too late.

A stormy or irregular menopause should always beviewed with suspicion as should also a delayed one, and athorough systematic and proper examination of the uterusbe made both from a clinical and pathological standpoint.Even though no sufficiently positive evidence of cancer befound the patient should be carefully watched until the meno-pause has been established and all the symptoms have sub-sided. Should the menopause once be fully established andthe patient begin subsequently to bleed, the diagnosis practi-cally rests between two conditions; cancer and fibroma. Iffibroid tumor be excluded by a digital examination the diseaseis almost certainly cancerous; and action should be taken onthat supposition. In this case it is not necessary to be certain—a suspicion is ample justification for action.

The prognosis of cancer of the uterus should be much morefavorable than that of a corresponding disease in other parts ofthe body. The uterus is practically a polypoid tumor, whilethe breast, for instance, is to all intents and purposes a sessile

CARCINOMA OF THE UTERUS. 127

tumor. It seems reasonable that a growth in such a body asthe uterus, which has limited and sharply defined attachmentto other parts of the body, should have the disease confinedwithin the limits of its own walls, than would an organ like thebreast which has an intimate and close relationship at all itspoints with the surrounding tissues.

Well advanced cervical cancer is more apt to spread beyondthe limits of the womb than is that variety which is confinedto the fundus. Such is my own experience although it does notseem to have been that of other observers. When the diseasehas once passed the limits of the womb, be it cervical or fundal,treatment as regards a cure is practically useless. For thisreason it is all important that the diagnosis, be made early, sothat the treatment may be applied ere it be too late. It isimpossible always to say even in a freely moveable wombwhether or not the disease has passed the safety line; usuallywhen the womb is immoveable, the broad ligaments or vaginalvault is involved, curative measures are out of question, pallia-tive measures are all that can be considered.

There is but one treatment for cancer; namely the knife. Allother treatments have proven inefficient and unreliable. Theextent to which the knife should be used is variously recom-mended but it would seem to me that anything short of com-plete removal of the organ affected is simply temporizing andinviting a disastrous loss of time. Who to-day would think ofremoving a portion of the breast affected with the disease?Equally irrational is it to remove a portion of the womb simi-larly affected. The only operation which can with any excusebe substituted for complete hysterectomy is high amputation ofthe cervix. When the surgeon has carried out the stepsnecessary for the performance of high amputation, he has butone step further to go to completely remove the womb. Com-plete removal is no more difficult, requires not much moretime and is not an iota more dangerous to the patient thanhigh amputation. Who is there that would not rather beentirely freed from an organ that has once been invaded withcancerous disease than to have a portion of it remaining in thebody; provided, that the whole could have been removedwith as little or even a slightly greater risk than the portion ?

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Statistics show as good immediate results for the completedoperation as from the uncompleted one.

The operation ofvaginal hysterectomy has to-day approachedalmost perfection and has a low or lower mortality accompany-ing its performance, than any other major operation in the body.Personally I have removed over twenty cancerous uteri by thevagina with the use of catgut ligatures without the loss of asingle patient. I have removed several uteri through theabdominal incision completely with a like good result. Manyother operators have quite as good results. It by no meansfollows that because these twenty odd patients all made goodand speedy recoveries from the operation that there was noreturn of the disease in the case of some of them. I have notthe slightest doubt but that such is the case. Even grantinghowever, that there be a considerable mortality directly fromthe operation and that there be a considerable proportion ofcases in which recurrence takes place, yet one has only to con-sider that unless the operation had been performed, absolutelyall the cases would have died. If only a small proportion ofpermanent recoveries occur, still each one is a case snatchedfrom the jaws of death, and almost any mortality and propor-tion of recurrence would justify the procedure.

It is unnecessary for me before such a body as this to dwellupon the horrors of death from cancer. Those of you who havewitnessed it will, I am sure, agree with me that it is far betterfor the patient to die under the knife than to face the naturaland absolutely inevitable end. Such would be my own feelingwere I to be afflicted with the disease and such would be myfeeling in the case of any near relative.

If cancer of the cervix have progressed beyond a curable con-dition much may be done in the way of palliation by the freeuse of the curette, scissors and knife. By removing all thebroken down degenerated tissue possible, many a woman hashad months of relief from her sufferings. I have frequentlyseen women who had progressed far into the last stages of can-cerous degeneration of the cervix almost entirely relieved forthree or four months from their bleeding, foul smelling dis-charges and pain, and in those few months show a gain ofmany pounds of flesh. Of course the relief is but temporary

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but when it is feasible, even this temporaryrelief is a godsend.Where nothing further can be done for a patient suffering

with cancer of the womb there should not be the slightesthesitation is administering opiates in whatever form foundpossible and in whatever dose necessary to relieve theatrocious suffering. He who would withhold opium, it makeslittle difference how large the quantity required, is unworthyof his calling.

Little can be done to control the hemorrhages. The vaginaltampon is the only reliable aid at the time of free gushes ofblood.

The discharges cannot be controlled. It is merely possibleto render then less foul smelling. The best remedies for thispurpose are peroxide of hydrogen, permanganate of potash andchloral. Chloral may either be used in solution or in supposi-tory combined with tannic acid.

I can only reiterate what I have tried to emphasize through-out the whole of this paper, namely; That the only time tocure cancer is early in its development, and that the onlysure cure for it is complete remove of the affected organ.For this reason I would again urge upon you all, the vastimportance of an early diagnosis in the disease, and a thoroughand searching examination of all cases the slightest degreesuspicious, calling your attention especially to those womenwho are suffering from menstrual irregularities immediatelybefore, during or after the menopause.