history of developmen in cancer

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The history of cancer development is long and intricate, spanning centuries of research,
discoveries, and medical advancements. Here's a concise overview:

1. Ancient Times: Cancer has been documented throughout human history. The earliest
known description of cancer dates back to ancient Egypt, around 3000 BCE, where
evidence of tumors was found in human remains.
2. Classical Era: The Greek physician Hippocrates (460–370 BCE) is credited with
coining the term "carcinoma" to describe tumors resembling a crab, a term still in use
today. However, the understanding of cancer during this era was primarily based on
observation rather than scientific inquiry.
3. Renaissance and Early Modern Period: During the Renaissance, anatomists such as
Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564) and Ambroise Paré (1510–1590) made significant
contributions to the understanding of human anatomy, including the identification and
study of tumors. However, misconceptions about the nature of cancer persisted, with
theories ranging from humoral imbalances to the presence of "cancerous worms."
4. 19th Century: The 19th century saw significant advancements in cancer research. In
1838, German pathologist Johannes Müller proposed that cancer arises from the
proliferation of cells, laying the foundation for the modern understanding of cancer as
uncontrolled cell growth. Later in the century, German physician Rudolf Virchow
further developed the cellular theory of cancer, emphasizing the importance of
studying tumors at the cellular level.
5. 20th Century: The 20th century witnessed exponential growth in cancer research and
treatment. Key milestones include the discovery of X-rays by Wilhelm Roentgen in
1895, which revolutionized cancer diagnosis and treatment through the use of
radiation therapy. In 1910, Peyton Rous demonstrated that a virus could cause cancer
in chickens, paving the way for the discovery of oncogenic viruses. The mid-20th
century saw the development of chemotherapy as a cancer treatment, starting with the
use of nitrogen mustard in the 1940s. The discovery of DNA's structure by Watson
and Crick in 1953 laid the groundwork for understanding the genetic basis of cancer.
6. Late 20th to 21st Century: The late 20th and early 21st centuries have been marked
by significant advances in cancer research, including the identification of oncogenes
and tumor suppressor genes, the development of targeted therapies and
immunotherapy, and breakthroughs in genomics and personalized medicine. The
completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 provided researchers with a
comprehensive map of the human genome, leading to a better understanding of the
genetic basis of cancer and the development of precision medicine approaches.

Throughout history, the understanding and treatment of cancer have evolved from mystical
beliefs to evidence-based science, with ongoing efforts aimed at improving prevention,
diagnosis, and treatment strategies to combat this complex disease.

Cancer may have been “discovered” and written about thousands of years
ago. However, the disease itself has actually existed since before the
evolution of humans.1
It was first documented in Egypt about 5,000 years ago. Since that time,
people from cultures all over the world have written about the disease and
its potential treatments.

This article will look at what we know about the history of cancer. It will
also talk about how our understanding of what causes cancer and how it
can be treated has changed over time.
Dan Kitwood / Getty Images

History of Cancer
 3000 BCE: The world’s earliest known mention of cancer was found
in a papyrus document from ancient Egypt. It described tumors
found in the breast. The cancer was treated by destroying the tissue
with a hot instrument called “the fire drill”—a technique we now call
“cauterization.”2 Some writings have shown that the ancient
Egyptians could distinguish between cancerous (malignant) and
noncancerous (benign) tumors.3
 460 BCE: In ancient Greece, Hippocrates thought there were four
fluids in the body that influenced health: blood, phlegm, yellow bile,
and black bile. He believed that having too much black bile in a part
of the body caused cancer. For the next 1,400 years, people
believed cancer was caused by too much black bile. 1
 1628: William Harvey, physician to King James I of England,
dissected animals and human cadavers to learn more about how the
body worked. When he published a book about the circulatory
system, it upended ancient ideas and opened the door for more
research on the workings of the human body. 4
 1761: Giovanni Morgagni of Padua published a book based on
hundreds of autopsies he had performed on former patients of his,
looking at both their clinical symptoms in life and his postmortem
observations of their organs. This laid the groundwork for modern
autopsies to determine the cause of someone’s death. 5
 1775: A British surgeon named Percivall Pott discovered that
testicular cancer was common in chimney sweeps. This was the first
time a cancer was connected to an environmental cause. 1
 17th century: The discovery of the lymphatic system led to new
ideas about cancer. The lymphatic system includes the tissues,
vessels, and organs that move a substance called lymph around
your body. Lymph is an important part of your immune system.
When the lymphatic system was discovered, it brought about the
possibility that problems in this part of the body could cause cancer.
This idea was called the lymph theory. It replaced Hippocrates’
theory about black bile and cancer.3
 1838: Johannes Mueller, a German pathologist, showed that cancer
is made of cells, not lymph. Mueller’s student, physician Rudolf
Virchow, figured out that all our cells—even cancerous ones—come
from other cells.6 However, he thought cancer spread in the body
“like a liquid.”
 1860: A German surgeon named Karl Thiersch was the first person
to prove that cancer spread through malignant cells. 2

How Cancer Was Named

Although most people cite Hippocrates as the first person to use the word
cancer, he actually used the Greek words karkinos and karkinoma when
he wrote about tumors. These words were related to the Greek word for
“crab” because Hippocrates thought the insides of the tumors looked like
crabs.7

The Roman physician Celsus was the first to translate the word into the
Latin word “cancer.”1

20th Century to Present Day

The 20th century was an exciting time in cancer research.
Carcinogens, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and better ways to
diagnose cancer were all discovered in these years. Some of the most
important discoveries of the 20th century include:

 1915: Katsusaburo Yamagiwa and Koichi Ichikawa at Tokyo

University applied coal tar to the skin of rabbits, inducing cancer
and showing that some substances are carcinogens or cancer-
causing.2
 1962: James Watson and Frances Crick won a Nobel Prize for
discovering the chemical structure of DNA.2
 1970s: Scientists discover oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. 2
 1981: Japanese professor Takeshi Hirayama published the first
research linking lung cancer to second-hand smoke. 8
 1982: Baruch S. Blumberg helped develop a vaccine against
hepatitis B, a cause of liver cancer.9
 1989: The first gene therapy cancer treatments began to evolve. 10
 1994: Scientists discovered the BRCA1 gene. This was the first
known gene found to predispose a person to developing breast or
ovarian cancer.11
 1999: Jan Walboomers and Michele Manos found evidence
implicating human papillomavirus (HPV) to 99.7% percent of
cervical cancers.12

Today, we are still learning more about cancer. We have found ways to
prevent and treat some forms of cancer and even cure others. Clinical
trials have allowed scientists to test new ways to find and treat cancer.
Some of this century’s notable discoveries so far include:

 2006: The first vaccine against the HPV virus was approved in the
United States.13
 2009: Researchers find that immunotherapy improves cure rates
for children with neuroblastoma.14
 2011: Low-dose computed tomography (CT) scans help reduce lung
cancer deaths by finding early-stage cancer in high-risk people. 15
  2016: Researchers find evidence that a type of gene therapy called
(CAR) T can produce remission in some people with B-cell
hematologic cancers.16
 2021: The OncoKB, a genetic variant database, was recognized by
the FDA as a tool for predicting drug responses in people with
cancer. This will help oncologists find the best individual treatments
for people with specific types of cancer.17

Summary
Humans have known about cancer for millennia, but our modern
understanding of cancer has only developed in the past few centuries.
New advancements are being made all the time, and huge leaps have
been made in the last few decades alone. This bodes well for the future of
cancer treatments and therapies.

A Word From Verywell

How we look at cancer and its treatments has significantly changed in the
last few centuries. Even decades ago, we had limited treatment options
and less research. Learning about cancer and treatment history can be
interesting when seeing how far we’ve come in such a short time. With
new research and discoveries occurring all the time, the future of cancer
research is an exciting topic.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 How long has cancer been around?

Cancer has been around since humanity began recording its

history and likely existed even before that time. The oldest
description of cancer originates from Egypt around 3000 BC
in a text called the Edwin Smith Papyrus, which also
describes the Egyptian process of tumor removal using a
method of cauterization.18

 How was cancer treated in the 1800s?

Cancer was treated throughout most of the 1800s using

surgery to remove cancerous tumors and affected organs.
The discovery of X-rays in 1895 by a physicist named
Wilhelm Konrad Roentgen helped to diagnose cancer cases
and helped pave the way for radiation therapy. 19

 Who discovered cancer cells?

 In 1838, a pathologist known as Johannes Müller showed
that cancer cells are what make up cancer. Before this, it
was believed that cancer was made up of lymph. 19

 How was cancer first treated?

It was first treated by surgery, although early physicians

realized that cancer often came back after surgery. 20

 Who invented chemotherapy?

The German chemist Paul Ehrlich started working with drugs

to treat infectious diseases in the early 1900s. He coined
the term “chemotherapy” to describe the use of chemicals
to treat disease.21 He wasn’t very optimistic about medicine
to treat cancer, though.
 Why is cancer more common now?
Cancer is more common with age, and more people are
living longer, increasing the risk of cancer. A better metric of
progress is the cancer death rate, which is decreasing,
indicating that we are developing better treatments for
cancer.22

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The history of lung cancer spans centuries, but our understanding of it has significantly
evolved over time. Here's a brief overview:

1. Early Observations (Before 1800s): Lung cancer likely existed for centuries, but it
wasn't until the 19th century that medical professionals started recognizing it as a
distinct disease. Early reports of lung cancer often described it as "consumption" or
"pneumonia."
2. Emergence of Industrialization (1800s): The rise of industrialization led to
increased exposure to carcinogens, such as coal dust, asbestos, and tobacco smoke. As
a result, lung cancer became more prevalent, though it was still not well understood.
3. Identification of Smoking as a Risk Factor (20th Century): In the early 20th
century, researchers began to identify smoking tobacco as a significant risk factor for
lung cancer. Studies in the mid-1900s, including the famous British Doctors Study led
by Richard Doll and A. Bradford Hill, provided strong evidence linking smoking to
lung cancer.
4. Rise in Lung Cancer Incidence (20th Century): With the widespread popularity of
cigarettes and increased industrial pollution, lung cancer rates surged throughout the
20th century, particularly in Western countries.
5. Advances in Diagnosis and Treatment (20th Century): Throughout the 20th
century, there were significant advancements in diagnosing and treating lung cancer.
This included the development of imaging techniques like X-rays and CT scans, as
well as the refinement of surgical techniques, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.
 6. Public Health Campaigns (20th Century): As the link between smoking and lung
cancer became clear, public health campaigns aimed at reducing smoking rates
emerged. These campaigns included warning labels on cigarette packaging,
restrictions on tobacco advertising, and anti-smoking education programs.
7. Continued Research and Understanding (21st Century): In the 21st century,
research into lung cancer has expanded to include genetic factors, environmental
exposures, and targeted therapies. There's also been a growing emphasis on early
detection through screening programs, particularly for high-risk individuals such as
long-term smokers.

Despite these advancements, lung cancer remains a significant global health challenge,
causing millions of deaths each year. Efforts to reduce smoking rates, promote healthy
lifestyles, and improve access to screening and treatment continue to be critical in the fight
against lung cancer.