Gist of Dr. Katsusaburo Yamagiwa's papers entitled "Experimental study on the pathogenesis of epithelial tumors" (I to VI reports)

Abstract

The concept of cancer and inflammation has a long history. Virchow's irritation theory based on human cancer engendered the essential role of inflammation in carcinogenesis. Drs. Yamagiwa and Ichikawa first published a comprehensive paper entitled "Experimental study on the pathogenesis of epithelial tumors" (I report) in 1915 in German, and went on to publish five more reports (1915-1924) under the same title. They succeeded in demonstrating that inflammation is an important carcinogenic factor, and the mechanisms are now being investigated by numerous scientists all over the world. In order to introduce Yamagiwa's work to modern cancer researchers, the essentials of their six reports have been translated into English as a short review. Scientists' comments on Yamagiwa's contribution are attached by way of introduction.

Keywords: Carcinomatous medium; folliculoepithelioma papillosum; irritation theory; metastasis; tar painting.

Fig. 6

Multiple folliculoepithelioma papillosum on the inside surface of a rabbit ear, 122 days after tar painting with older animal. (There are a total of 41 figures. Three figures are presented.)

Fig. 9

Skin horns on the inside surface of a rabbit ear, with advanced steep elevated (C.C.) and a few young tumors (C.C′.).

Fig. 31

Tumor thrombosis. Mitosis (M), cluster of carcinoma cells in a vein vessel (V) and thrombus of tumor cells (Th).