Some cancer-related results of mitogenetic radiation research in the 1920s-1950s
Elena V. Naumova1, Ilya V. Volodyaev2, Maira S. Aristanbekova3
1 Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia, 2 Moscow State University, Moscow. Russia, 3 Saratov Regional Center for the Prevention and Control of AIDS, Saratov, Russia
Abstract
At least 1/4—1/3 of all publications on mitogenetic radiation (ultraweak luminescence from biological systems in the middle ultraviolet range) were dealing with medicine, and most of the effort has gone to the cancer field. Intact and mashed malignant tissues, blood and other physiological liquids in cancer were extensively studied. Two different methods of cancer diagnostics based on the mitogenetic effect were developed in the USSR and Germany and successfully used in the leading clinics. The researchers claimed and described the first universal tumour marker in blood, which was called ‘cancer quencher’ (for its ability to quench chemiluminescence in different chemical and biological systems) about 25 years before recognition of alpha-fetoprotein as a tumour marker. Clinicists approved the developed method as highly valuable for early cancer screening and evaluation of the therapy effectiveness (reported sensitivity and specificity were about 95%). Further studies were interrupted during persecution of genetic and mitogenetic research almost 70 years ago, but have not lost their relevance to date. This review covers both published and unpublished materials from the unique archive by A.G. Gurwitsch and his scientific dynasty and archives of medical libraries
Speaker
Elena V. Naumova
Rzhanov Institute of Semiconductor Physics
Russia
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