History of cancer – how much time people are suffering of cancer.

A common perception is that the cancer s a consequence of modern lifestyles. It is estimated that over the next few decades, a number of new cancer cases will increase by 70%, about 22 million cases. Cancer is especially threatening disease because, for example, in US cancer is the second disease after cardiovascular disease leading to death. It was found that nearly half of a men and one third of women through their lifetime will develop cancer. However, when is the beginning of the cancer history? Are we sure this is only the consequence of increasingly modernizing lifestyle?

Tumors can form for people around the world and this is not a new disease. The word cancer is originated from the Greek word karkinos, which was used Hippocrates in order to describe carcinomas tumor. The first hints of tumors, scientists discovered studying dinosaur bones. It was claimed that the platypus dinosaurs, lived 70 million years ago, had a cancer. It is believed that the formation of tumors could be because of fact that dinosaurs were warm-blooded and fed coniferous trees, which accumulate carcinogens. True, many of the bone tumors were benign, and very slowly progressing.

Scientists studying human bones, who lived in South Africa before 1.7 million years, found the world’s oldest malignant tumor. This is an osteosarcoma – bone cancer, formed in a small toe. Was it a cause of the primitive human death is not clear, but the researchers are almost certain that it interfered walking or jogging. Also, these findings allow researchers to assume that cancer is not just a consequence of the modern lifestyle.

The earliest described cases of cancer are found in the Egyptian textbook on surgery and medicine. Its age of 2500-3000 m B C. This document describes a breast tumor and it is said that there is no treatment for this disease, but it is mentioned that one of the tumor was removed by hot burning metal tool.

If about Hippocrates, in those days was followed a humoral theory of the cancer formation. It was believed that the body is made up of 4 fluids: blood, mucus, yellow and black bile. The fluid imbalance leads to tumor formation. Such opinion prevailed up to the Middle Ages, there have been forbidden to perform an autopsy on the body. Over time the humoral theory changed the other. For example, in the seventeenth century, it was thought that human life was supported by wide range of fluid movement, such as lymph and blood. Therefore, at that time, scientists believed that the tumors were formed from the lymph, which pushes blood. However, despite the formation of a more complex understanding of tumors, mostly what the doctors could do – to remove the surface tumor via surgery. It was created also the others, these days very unbelievable theories: milk in cases of breast tumors, weather effects, personality type, trauma, and other theories. It also was believed that the formation of tumors can be caused by a various parasites, through which come infections and cancer occurs. Therefore, the first French hospital treating only the cancer patients were forced to move to the suburbs. Although human cancer is not contagious, but we know that some viruses and bacteria can increase the likelihood of developing cancer.

In the beginning of the nineteenth century began to use disinfection and sterilization in the operating, and most importantly – introduction of anesthesia. This allowed the American doctor V. Halsted, as deeper as possible removing the tumor tissue, understand that cancer recurrence after surgery could occurred by remaining parts of cancer. In the same century finally was denied humoral theory. It was understood that the tumor is composed of cells; the circulation of these cells belongs to the movement.

In the first half of the twentieth century a cancer was increasingly began to treat by non-invasive methods. In 1896 German physicist V. Roentgen discovered X-rays, which are used to treat both localized and widespread tumors. Through microscopy, it was realized that the X-rays kill all human cells, but the tumor is stronger, because its cells divide much faster. Over the years, scientists have discovered a growing number of environmental factors and toxins, which are associated with cancer. The First World War contributed to the poisonous chemical compound discovery of aniline, which was used in the production of explosives.

It has also been proven that long protracted hepatitis B or C virus infection can lead to liver cancer formation. One of the herpes virus was associated with nasopharyngeal cancer or lymphoma. People infected with the HIV virus are more likely to suffer from lymphoma. It also was found that the human papilloma virus causes cervical cancer. In the third and fourth decades one of the most common factors that caused cancer, was tobacco smoke. Due to the extremely effective tobacco advertising exposure in the twentieth century, the vast majority of Americans smoked.

During World War II, as a chemical weapon, it w was used a mustard gas – colorless, odorless liquid. Soon was discovered that not only it causes loss of vision, but also stops blood cells and bone marrow production. It was therefore suggested that the use of chemically-related compounds can be help in lymphoma.

This laid the foundation for the first chemotherapeutic agents that inhibit rapidly dividing cancer cells. One of the best-known drugs used in chemotherapy, was aminopterin – folic acid antagonist. Until then, it was known that folic acid promotes faster divide and multiply leukocytes. But investigating leukemia sick children, it was observed that aminopterin, blocking folic acid effect, is inhibiting white blood cells. This drug is still used in chemotherapy. However, treating in this manner, effectively is killed not only cancer but also healthy rapidly dividing cells. This causes a lot of serious side effects.

Midway through the twentieth century, there was a revolution in the genetics, were quickly understood the operating principles of gene mutations and their significance. It was confirmed that cancer is caused by carcinogens, radiation, viruses, but it can also be inherited. Many carcinogens damage the cellular DNA, causing abnormal cell growth.

Approaching the last twentieth century decade, it was started to treat cancer by influence the immune system’s cells. First drugs, monoclonal antibodies, were designed to treat breast tumors and lymphoma. These drugs block the tumor cell and lymphocyte interactions. This ensures that the patient’s immune system will no longer be blocked and could fight itself against cancer cells.

Although the anti-cancer drug till these days is still not invented, but done a lot of research looking for chemical compounds directed against specific molecular targets. At the same time, there is elucidating which genes, in which stage initiate cancer formation and its further spread. So, little by little medicine is trying to refuse treatment when are killed all rapidly dividing cells, and are increasingly trying to designate such products, which are directed against specific proteins.  Therefore, it can be said that due to the researches and discoveries, the cancer is no longer a fatal diagnosis, but curable disease. However, to stop the cancer history, is unlikely to succeed. It is estimated that it will continue; only causing less consequences.

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