Day 017 - 25 Jul 94 - Page 10

     
     1        A.  Indeed, yes.
 
     2   Q.   It is important?
              A.  It is.
     3
         Q.   So the study of the aetiology of cancer is an important
     4        field, is it?
              A.  It is extremely important.  One of the reasons for
     5        this is that, sadly, in  spite of many developments over
              many, many years, there are major limitations in the
     6        curability of established cancer.  If we could prevent the
              development of cancer that would be a tremendous boom, and
     7        it would make a major contribution to the health of the
              world.  So it is important.
     8
         Q.   Now you mentioned epidemiology as one of the sources of
     9        information for the aetiology of cancer; is that right?
              A.  Yes.
    10
         Q.   Can we split that up in this way -- you tell me if I am
         wrong -- what are sometimes called population studies,
              where you compare either populations in different
    12        countries or different groups within the same country?
              A.  Yes.
    13
         Q.   Are there --  sorry?
    14        A.  No, I am just going to expand on that.
 
    15   Q.   If I have it right, that is fine; if I have it wrong, you
              correct me.  So far so good?
    16        A.  So far so good.
 
    17   Q.   Are there then case control studies?
              A.  There are indeed, yes.
    18
         Q.   Do they work in this way, that one takes a group of people
    19        who have a particular disease and one compares them, so
              far as one can, with a group of people placed under
    20        similar conditions who do not have the disease?
              A.  Yes, that is, essentially, the case, yes.
    21
         Q.   Are there then what are called cohort or prospective
    22        studies where you study as large a group of people as you
              can get hold of over a period of time and you observe
    23        their behaviour and things they eat, the things they do
              over that period of time to see what the incidence of the
    24        disease is, is that how it works?
              A.  That is how it works.
    25
         Q.   Do you know of any epidemiological work in your field 
    26        which has established the causes of any of the cancers 
              with which we are concerned here? 
    27        A.  No.  The situation remains extremely controversial.
 
    28   Q.   What do the results of epidemiological studies suggest to
              the responsible scientific mind?
    29        A.  Well, sadly, they suggest that we have not yet come up
              with the answer but that a great deal more research is
    30        needed.