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r- iwU!J„ 26 ' 91 1 4 ;19 LEVEL 1- 10 OF 19 STORIES Copyright (c) 1985 The Times Mirror Company; Los Angeles Times March 1, 1985, Friday, Fiome Edition, p n ~. ~. L:I I,, ECTIbNe Part 1; Page 14; Column 1; Nationas Desk ZNGTH: 4,13 words EaCDLINE: CELLS FOUND CAUBING CANCER IN ANIMALS Mi?iY' HELP IN' STUDY OF TUMORS IN STMANS .YLINE: By AP ATELINE: BOSTON BODY :'. Germ-killinq,blood cells that ordinarily protect the body from disease can .lso cause cancer in lab animals., and that may eycplain why years of chronic .nflammation heighten people's risk of some kinds of tumors, researchers say. Press <ESC> for Local Help CD (c) 1985 Los.Angples Times, March 1, 1985' Their work, conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital, provides clues to :2te origins of'a variety of common human malignancies, including cancers of the :olon, lung and breasti. The results of the research, directed by Dr. Sigmund A. Weitzmani, were )ublished in today's issue of the jiournal Science. The white cells, called phagocytes, are the blood's foot soldiers and garbage :leaneri They surround bacteria and other germs and kill them, and'they also jobble up worn-out normal cells. In the course of' both of' these duties, they :elease toxic chemicals knowxn as free radicals. The new work suggeststhat these same chemicals can damage ordinary tissue 3nd even make it turn cancerous if the exposure persists for a long time,. 8o far, researchers have observed this effect in:the test tube and in mice, ~roviding indirect evidence, they say, that the same thing may be happening in people. "There has long been known to be an association between chronic inflammation 3nd!cancer," said Dr. Thomas P. 8tosses, one of the researchers.. Press <ESC> for Local! Help CD ('c)i 1985 Los Angeles Times, March 1, 1985' One example is ulcerative colitis, a chronic bowel inflammation that constantly bathes the bowel, with phagocytes. During the first 2'0, years of'thi'~sf disease, the cancer risk is, relatively low. But then the rate of'coion, cancer rises quickly.

r ;.'V, 26 ' 91 14:20. When persons smoke cigarettes, bits of soot become lodged in the lungs, and! hagocytes roam about, eating them up. "St''s possible that the association between lung cancer and smoking is in art due to these radicals," Stossal said in an interview Thursday. Throughout the body, calls are constantly wearinq out and being replaced. his turnover is especially rapid in the ducts of the female breast, where new issue is built every month. Elssential to this process are the phagocytes, which art away the dead cslls. The researchers believe that, over time, this constant xposure to frawrad'iaals could contribute to the development of'breast cancer. The work may someday provide new strategies for warding oft cancer. "One can designchemicals that sop up these free radicals," 8tossel said. "If he evidence continued to aacumulate that this was something to take seriously, ns could begin to design preventative measures to keep this from happening." Press <ESC> for Local Help CD, (c) 19,85 Los Angeles Times, March 1, 1965 TYPE: 'ire Press <ESC> for Local Help CD.