-
The world's oldest documented case of cancer hails from ancient Egypt, in 1500 b.c. The details were recorded on a papyrus, documenting 8 cases of tumors occurring on the breast. It was treated by cauterization, a method to destroy tissue with a hot instrument called "the fire drill." It was also recorded that there was no treatment for the disease, only palliative treatment.
-
Autopsies (examining bodies to find out the cause of death) were conducted more often and understanding of internal cancers began to improve
-
Causes for some cancers suggested. For example, snuff was linked to cancer in the nose and soot to scrotal cancer in chimney sweeps.
-
joseph Claude Anthelm Recaimer discovers metastasis is the spread of cancer. Metastis is now known to be the cause of 90% of cancer deaths.
-
Surgery to remove tumors takes off.
-
Rontgen discovers x-rays
-
Hippocrates proposes the Humoral Theory of Medicine. It states that the body is composed of four fluids:blood, phlegm, black and yellow vile
-
A chemical in the mustard gas used during World War I is found to reduce white blood cells. The first chemotherapy.
-
The first attempts to use radiography
for the diagnosis of breast
abnormalities were made in the late
1920’s, but mammography, as we
understand it nowadays, using
dedicated X-ray units, was developed
in the 60s. -
The development of computed tomography (CT) revolutionizes radiology.
-
FDA approves the first vaccine against hepatitis B, one of the primary causes of liver cancer.
-
The FDA approves Gleevec, the first drug to target a specific gene mutation.