A 52-year-old man suffering from a large epigastric tumor became the subject of an experimental medical procedure in July 1896, marking a significant turn in oncology. Under the supervision of Victor Despeignes in Lyon, this patient received the first recorded attempt to treat cancer using X-rays, applying radiation therapy less than one year after Wilhelm Röntgen discovered the technology.
Early Career and Hygiene Research
Before transitioning into radiology, Despeignes built a foundation in public health. Between 1866 and 1894, he practiced as a hygienist in Lyon, focusing his research on the quality of municipal tap water and the prevalence of tuberculosis. He published extensively on these topics, including the 1891 text 'Étude expérimentale sur les microbes des eaux' and a 1890 paper regarding a new regulator for oil-heated ovens.
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In 1896, Despeignes utilized a Crookes' tube and six Radiguet battery elements to treat his patient's epigastric mass. Acting on the prevailing theory that cancer stemmed from parasitic infections, he administered two thirty-minute exposures daily. While he complemented these sessions with morphine, opium, and a specific diet of condurango and milk, the patient succumbed to the illness on 24 July. Despite the death, the tumor had decreased in size by approximately 50 percent, a result that encouraged other physicians to apply X-ray treatments to various malignancies and ailments.
Public Health in Chambéry
Following his experimental work in Lyon, Despeignes moved into administrative medical roles. From 1907 until his death in 1937, he served as the director of town hygiene in Chambéry. During this period, he continued his medical contributions, including co-authoring a 1903 paper on hydatid cysts with Ph. Genoud. His commitment to French public health was formally acknowledged in 1935 when he was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour.
Fast facts
- Born: 1866, 2nd arrondissement of Lyon
- Died: 1937, Chambéry
- Citizenship: France
- Primary Fields: Oncology, Radiology, Hygiene
- Major Recognition: Knight of the Legion of Honour (1935)
- Burial Site: Vinsobres
Questions readers ask
Did Victor Despeignes successfully cure cancer with X-rays?
No. While his patient experienced pain relief and a 50 percent reduction in tumor size, the patient died three weeks after the initial treatment began.
What was the scientific basis for his treatment choice?
Despeignes believed cancer was caused by parasites and theorized that radiation could eliminate these pathogens, a common medical hypothesis during that era.
Achievements
- Knight of the Legion of Honour — 1935