Contrary to popular belief, cancer is not a new disease. In reality we have documents that show the existence of cancer in antiquity.

Cancer: Its origins

The word cancer is a Latin word derived from the Greek word meaning carcinos crab. The translation from the Greek word carcinos in Cancer (Latin) was the work of Celsus (28 BC. – 50 AD. J.-C). However there are documents that indicate that the cancer had been discovered long before Hippocrates.

The Ebers Papyrus which was written around 1500 BC. J.-C provides evidence that the cancer was known in ancient Egypt. The only solution at that time was the cauterization. Egyptians at this time were able to differentiate a benign from a malignant tumor.

The causes of cancer in ancient writings

For Egyptians cancer was the work of the gods. At the time of Hippocrates, it was believed that the human body was composed of four humors whose black bile. Also according to Hippocrates was an excess of black bile in the blood that was responsible for cancer.

Thanks to the use of autopsy in medicine by Harvey in 1628 they began to gain a better understanding of the human body and its functions. Nevertheless we had to wait 1761 to see the first autopsy to determine cause of death. These advances opened the way for better research on cancer and its treatments.

The discovery of the lymphatic system during the 17th century would give a new direction for cancer research. It also sounded the end of the theory of four humors of Hippocrates. Not until the late 19th century was it discovered that cancers originate in the modification of body cells. At that time it was also mentioned other possible causes of cancer. At one point we even thought that cancer was contagious. It was even awarded a Nobel Prize Johannes Andreas Grib Fibiger for the discovery of a worm causing stomach cancer.

The 20th century was very helpful when it comes to discoveries about cancer. Treatments such as chemotherapy have been developed during this century. Important advances were also made on the diagnosis of cancer.

At present we can only cure some types of cancer and research continues to find more effective ways to cure this disease.

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