Annals of the National Institute of Oncology 1977. [antikvár]

Introduction The National Institute of Oncology celebrates its 25th anniversary. One quarter of a century is not a long period in the history of an institute. These 25 years, however, mean a large- scale effort in the fight against cancer which, in Hungary, started only at the turn of the century. During this time anticancer activities have been organized and the health authorities laid the foundation of the future development. Accordingly, these 25 years mean not only the completion of an ongoing but also the beginning of an intensive development program. The Annals and its bibliography supplement point to the important results of this period. The latter volume itself is an evidence of the intense clinical and experimental activity characterizing the members of the National Institute of Oncology. They tried to do their duty not only by using the scalpel, ionizing irradiation and drugs but also with persuasive and enthusiastic organizational work. If this fight sometimes met also with failure it was not their fault. Prevention is in its early development, screening has just started, diagnostic and therapeutic problems are still present. After-care and rehabilitation are unsolved problems. Reporting of patients is incomplete. Oncologists of the Network have to work sometimes under inadequate conditions and their task is contradictory to the general health services. The memory of unsuccessful attempts are gradually fading as compared to ever-increasing successes. There are professional conceptions and even exact plans about the future. Clinical oncology became delineated as an independent discipline and the first complete Hungarian textbook of clinical oncology has recently been published. A central directing institute was organized which is aided by a council of experts. We take part in the international cooperation and are honoured with the task of coordination of research for antitumour drugs, as a member of the cancer research treaty of CMEA. The Annals reports on the results obtained in the last 25 years. It relates to the past and draws a picture of the present. It gives us an account of ourselves and calls upon us to account for our activities. It shows our future to the reader. We ask him to acknowledge and criticize with us. And what is more, he is asked to help us in our fight against cancer. Without the assistance of the whole Hungarian public health organization this fight is doomed to failure. The assistance received from the health authorities and social organizations as well as all citizens encourages us in our endeavours. Social support to the fight against cancer is well illustrated by the publication of this Annals, too. We have to express our gratitude here to Tibor Erdei, 5