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The News
  Scientist Announces Promising
  Treatment for Cancer
  On April 2, Ian Robins MD, UW oncolo-
  gist and molecular biologist, announced the
  results of his work on whole-body hyper-
  thermia (WBH) to a national cancer semi-
  nar in San Diego. His process involves
  heating the patient to 107 degrees. It can be
  risky; early experiments caused such side
  effects as bums, bleeding and vomiting,
  even death. But it has also proved effective
  against cancer, because diseased cells are
  more sensitive to heat then normal ones.
    To get the therapeutic benefits without
 the side effects, Robins helped develop a
 WBH device using radiant rather than con-
 vective heat. It is this form which not only
 shows promise for treating a variety of can-
 cers, including some that are otherwise in-
 curable, but produces no side effects other
 than some fatigue.
    The machine resembles an iron lung.
 The patient is placed on a blanket inside,
 except for the head, which is swathed in
 towels. Blood circulation keeps the entire
 body, head included, uniformly heated to
 the desired temperature.
    Robins has done experimental treat-
 ments with twelve UW patients, all termi-
 nally ill and unresponsive to other types of
 therapy, over the last two and a half years.
 Half were helped; none suffered any signi-
 ficant side effects.
    Within a year, two other major cancer
 centers will start testing the device, and
 within two years another six machines are
 expected to be in use. These will be do-
 nated by the manufacturer, the Enthermics
 Company of Menomonee Falls. If put into
 general circulation, the cost of the system
 will be comparatively low. Robins' research
 has been supported by a grant from the Na-
 tional Cancer Institute. (For more on can-
 cer research here, seep. 15. )
 UW Foundation Reports
 Record 1984 Contributions
 More than 34,000 contributions totaled
 over $22 million in pledges to the UW
Foundation in 1984, said its president, Ro-
bert B. Rennebohm in February. That
amount breaks the 1983 record and is an 11-
percent increase in dollars and a 25-percent
increase in the number of gifts.
   The funds came from alumni, friends,
corporations and foundations in amounts
ranging from $1 to more than $1 million.
Projects initiated or funded during the past
year included the Grainger Professorship in
Nuclear Engineering, the Babcock Drive
Horticulture Garden, the A.C. Nielsen
Student Loan Fund and the School of Mu-
sic's 90th Anniversary campaign. A special
campaign provided new uniforms for the
Marching Band. The Wisconsin Calling
phonathon generated over $180,000 (not
including corporate matching gifts) and is a
large measure of the year's success, said
Rennebohm. It achieved a 29-percent re-
sponse rate compared to a national average
of 15 percent.
Majority of Students
Repay Their Loans
Critics of student loan delinquency rates
are looking on the wrong side of the ledger,
says Charles Lueck, an attorney who heads
the accounts receivable staff at the UW's
Office of Student Financial Aids. "People
talk about the 5 or 10 percent delinquency
rate. On the other side, 90 to 95 percent of
students who take out loans are paying
them back on time. Considering the high-
risk nature of this business, that's remark-
ably good."
   Delinquency rates at the University are
 well below the national average. For exam-
 ple, those on National Direct Student
 Loans are between 10 and 11 percent na-
 tionally but only 7.97 percent here; rates on
 Health Professions Loans in pharmacy are
 7.2 percent but 5.5 percent at the UW;
 those for Health Professions Loans for
 medical students are 5 percent nationally,
 but only 2.8 percent at Wisconsin.
   "The UW decided earlier than most
schools to hire a professional billing and
collection staff," Lueck said. "Most univer-
sities now take that approach and delin-
quency rates are dropping nationwide."
Lueck said his staff collects six to seven
times the cost of the operation.
Fifteen Years Later
Afro-American Studies Here To Stay
Fifteen years ago, students here boycotted
classes to demand the creation of a Black
Studies Program. In 1969, a study commit-
tee recommended creation of an Afro-
                                 continued
WINNERS. These junior and senior students will be honored on Alumni Weekend
as winners
of our annual awards for scholarship, extra-curricular activities and financial
self-support. In
the front row, from left are: Patrick Hagen (sr.), Stoughton; juniors Valerie
Johnson,
Brodhead; Laura Seidel, Colby; Brian Haas, Madison and James Stein, Glendale.
Rear: Kathryn
Hess (sr.), Madison; Jennifer Enders (Jr.), Hartford; Charles Sattler (sr.),
Malone; Mary
Ellen Flanagan (sr.), La Crosse; Sue Guzman (jr.), Wisconsin Rapids and Steve
Bell (sr.), Fort
Atkinson. Seniors are given life memberships in WAA; juniors receive cash
awards. The
students will be presented following the All-Alumni Dinner in Great Hall.
MAY/JUNE 1985 / 5