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Rudolph Virchow
In 1863, a German medical doctor by the name of Rudolph Virchow realized the relation between inflamation and cancer. His discovery was the first to draw attention towards the disease of cancer, which many at the time doubted actually existed. -
Theodore Billroth
At a date unknown, Theodore Billroth, an Austrian surgeon, preformed the first ever successful surgery on a cancer patient. His patient was treated for cancer of the larnyx, or voice box. Billroth was able to remover the larnyx completly, making his patient dumb, but cancer free. -
Abnormal Cells
Throughout the year of 1902, leading scientists and medical doctors developed their first major conclusion about cancer. They suspected that cancer was caused by a single abnormal cell that had suffered chromosome damage, which has since been proved correct. -
The American Association for Cancer Research
In this year, the American Association for Cancer Research was founded. The organization included only nine doctors, and was deticated to finding particulary reserach information regarding the growing disease called cancer. -
Paul Enrich Suggests Vaccination
Paul Enrich was the first person ever to suggest a vaccination for cancer. His idea was widely disregarded because at the time, it seemed impossible with the technology and information that was available. However, he took his idea to the AAC, who deticated a small percent of their funds to this suggestion. -
DNA is Discovered
On this Friday, Francis Crick was credited for the discovery of deoxiribose nucleic acid. Crick discovered DNA as the building block of all cells in the human body. However, in the years to come, more research was done on DNA and some of Crick's thepries were disproven. -
Nitrogen Mustard
An adaptation on a warfare chemical named nitrogen mustard is approved for use to combat cancer cells in the body. The use of this chemical to fight cancer was the first ever drug related treatment of the illness. Also, the use of this substance was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the first time in the year of 1949. -
The Danger of Cigarettes
Throughout the year of 1950, doctors, many who smoke themselves, began to realize the danger of cigarettes. After taking several tests on lung cancer patients, they suspected that this type of cancer was actually caused by smoking. At this time more than 43% of the adult American society smoked regularly. -
American Society of Clinical Oncology
Throughout the year of 1964, a small group of oncologits formed the ASCO. This organization was formed in order to better specifically the treatment of cancer patients. Today, this originally small group of people has grown to numbers over 30,000. -
Epstein-Barr Virus
The Epstein-Barr Virus, commonly refered to as EBV, is a very common virus that approximatly 95% of Americans develop at some point in their lives. Throughout 1964, doctors suspected that all cancer patients had had this virus. Refering to this information, they believed that EBV caused cancer. -
Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act
On this day, President Richard Nixon signed the Public Health Cigarette Smoking Act. The act banned the advertising of cigarettes on televison, radio, magezines, newspapers, billboards, storefronts, and all other communication means. His efforts succesfully diminished the national smoking rate to 34%. -
I Can Hope
I Can Hope is a program free of cost developed to educate cancer patients as well as their family members. The educational effort was designed to offer information surrounding the disease, and give hope to the patients of this deadly, mysterious disease.
