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100
1500 BC - Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt :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." -
Jan 1, 1000
1000 BC - Cigarettes & Tobacco
Link : Mayan civilisation began to smoke and chew the leaves of the tobacco plant. They also mixed the leaves with herbs and other plants to make medicines for the sick and wounded. Ancient carvings show a priest smoking a tube pipe so smoking was an important part of their religious rites, although it never accured to them this could lead to cancer. -
Development of Microscopes
The development of microscopes, and better understanding of cells and the blood and lymphatic systems were major steps in improving understanding of cancer. -
Cancer As A Genetic Disease
A Genetic Disease : In 1890, David von Hansemann described in detail the mitotic figures of 13 different carcinoma samples. In every case, he found examples of aberrant mitotic figures. These included multipolar mitoses and anaphase figures that showed asymmetric distribution of 'chromatin loops' (or chromosomes). He postulated that these aberrant cell divisions were responsible for the decreased or increased chromatin content found in cancer cells. -
Viruses & Cancer
Viruses & cancer : It is now known that only a few cancer types can be directly attributed to viruses. Despite this, work on RNA tumour viruses (retroviruses) led to many important discoveries in cancer research — not least the discovery of some of the first cellular oncogenes. -
Angiogenesis & Bloodlines
Angiogenesis : In 1939, Gordon Ide and colleagues adapted a technique to study the growth of blood vessels around tumour tissue transplanted into the rabbit ear. Observing robust tumour growth and induction of a complex vascular network, they made the seminal suggestion that tumours might produce a 'vessel growth- stimulating substance'. -
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Oncogene cooperation
Oncogene cooperation : In the early 1980s, evidence indicated that the oncogenic transformation of primary cells involved at least two stages: establishment (the immortalization of cells) and cellular transformation. With this in mind, Hartmut Land, Luis F. Parada and Robert Weinberg, working at the same time as Earl Ruley, investigated how oncogenes cooperate to induce tumour development. -
Cancer profiling
Link : Tailoring cancer therapy to specific tumour types maximizes efficacy while minimizing toxicity. Historically, cancer classification has been based on morphology, but cancers with seemingly identical morphological and histopathological features can progress and respond to therapy in radically different ways. A better method of classifying cancers was needed to help predict clinical outcome and make the most of the available therapy — the possible solution came from microarray technology.
