Д-р Анастас Коцарев: 2009

Anastas Kocarev is a top Macedonian radiologist and oncologist, professor of experimental medicine, close collaborative of Marie Curie. He was born in Ohrid 1899, comes from the old Ohrid family. His father was Petrus Kocarev who was famous banker in Ohrid at that time, his mother was Frosa Malenkova and beside Anastas they had two daughters who died as young. Later, his mother got severe disease by saying of my closest family she had cancer of the uterus and that was the reason she died. He finished the elementary school in Ohrid and secondary school in Thessaloniki. The reason to study medicine was a family tragedy. As he was from a wealthy family Kocarevi which that time had three land properties in the area of Struga (Kadica Mislesevo and Draslajca the last was old for his education) he studied and graduated medicine in Genève. He was completely dedicated to the science. He was specially interested into the experimental medicine for which he stayed in Genève where he worked as an assistant at that time famous Swiss clinic. The first article that could be found dated from 1914 (Quelques blessures des nerfs observees pendant les querres balkaniques). In 1916 together with his cooperative Alfred Fromentin, they published their first book “Theorie biosociale du sommeil” 1922 he made the first ray graph of a patient who suffered from cancer and had metastasis on iliac bone on which it was applied radium and it was presented the malignant tissues (Photographies des organs par L’emantion du radium ou radium graphie(curiegraphie) Journal de Radiologie et d’Electrologie 6:131-133) he suggested this image to be named radiumgraphie or curiegraphie (after M. Curies) but from the other scientist this nomenclature was not accepted. In that time his research were performed on experimental animals, they were advanced which can be seen in his article from 21 January 1924 published in the famous newspaper TIME in USA titled Cancer Finder. The newspaper in details describes his work in that time.

In 1916 he was called to continues with his research at the Academy of Medicine in Sorbonne because his name in the scientific elite was on high position. In Paris he continued with the scientific research of the hopelessly ill patients of cancer. As all the research were with the radioactive element radium here originated his cooperation with the famous Marie Curie who at that time was a professor and director at the laboratory for radium at the university in Sorbonne in Paris, where he worked as well. In his monograph he expressed gratitude to his teacher and close cooperative Marie Curie.

He studied the treatment of cancer with use of radium which he injected directly to the tissues not as therapy method but for diagnostic purposes. There were many publications in the period from 1921-1931 for his scientific research work dr Erwin Smith in the article from 12 June 1925 in the research magazine SCIENCE (American Association for the Advancement of Science Washington) he wrote for the work of Dr Kocarev. For his research achievement support was requested for his work and at the same time he appealed to be invited to reside at the United States of America.

In the Monograph Les cancers et la Physico-chimie published in 1927 he showed the physical-chemical characteristics of the cancer gene agents, the influence of the nervous system of the cancer ,the experimental cancerization of the characteristics of the membrane of the cancerous cells and there is chapter dedicated to the immunology of the cancer as well as the radiotherapy. Special interest appeared for the selective burden of the radioisotope in different organs. It appeared as one of the pioneers in the radiotherapy and radio diagnostics.

As a result of his research work, the large number of articles and two doctor dissertations (Quelques blessures des nerfs observees pendan les querres balkniques –Genève 1914 and Tritment des cancers dits inoperables incurables et abandonnes par la radon –colloidotherapie interne associee a des ondes elektromagnetiques." Ondes hertziennes ultra-courtes Paris 1931) he was a professor of experimental medicine at many universities in Genève and Paris.

Dr Anastas Kocarev his residence in Genève and later in Paris used for the promotion of the Macedonian question in Europe. Together with other students who resided in Switzerland founded the Genève Association of Macedonian students in 1915 who made efforts to promote the Macedonian cause Macedonia to the Macedonians before the international factors. It was promoted that at that time the intelligence from Macedonia who was educated in Europe was minor, but Dr A Kocarev with his authority in the research circles united the Genève students where he was a president. There were also famous his notes from may 1919 with prof Herron from the United States of America which gave him full support in his efforts to popularize the Macedonian question send that Macedonia as the others (he mentions Poland, Armenia, Czech Republic Slovak Republic) has right to independence.

His name was widely known in the world medicine and even today his articles are quoted. As much as he researched in the area of the treatment of the cancer his basic thought was to return in Ohrid and to open the institute for research and treatment of the cancer. For his research working he got an award by Paris Medical Academy

Anastas Kocarev died in 1931 in Paris. He never got married and he dedicated his whole life to science and the fight with the world to hear for the Macedonian question. He suffered from light form of diabetes, but he died suddenly and that is why it was concluded that he was poisoned by the secret services on the Balkans in that time because he stated in pubic that Macedonia was damaged greatly by the Versailles agreement

This is only part of the biography for my grandfather dr Anastas Kocarev which talks area his greatness in science at that time but it is a pity that in present independent Macedonia and we as part of it, do not know anything for this great man doctor science after saying of my closes he was buried in Genève by his fiancé. But, because of the misfortunes that my family had and the hard time that followed he stayed forgotten somewhere in far land. My daughter who studies French language and literature recently studied the life of her grand grand father as his works can be found only in French in the libraries in Genève and Paris I hope that one day she will bring flowers to his grave from his closest who never forgot him and always retold us for his greatness In our family we have many doctors so as the memory for him never to be erased