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First Documented Case 1500 BC
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." -
Discovery of Surgery
John Hunter, suggested that some cancers might be cured by surgery if the tumor had not invaded nearby tissue. It was not until the next hundred years known as “the century of the surgeon” that the development of anesthesia allowed huge leaps in the development of surgery as a cure for cancer -
Discovery of X-Rays
Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen invents X-rays. X-rays were being used for cancer diagnosis, and within three years radiation was tentatively being used as a treatment for cancer -
Major Breakthrough: Radiation
A major breakthrough was the revelation that small, daily doses of radiation over several weeks would increase the probability of therapeutic response -
Discovery of Chemotherapy
A chemical in the nitrogen mustard gas used during World War I is found to reduce white blood cells. This compound served as a model for future agents that more effectively killed rapidly spreading cancer cells by damaging their DNA -
Discovery of Immunotherapy
Better understanding of the biology of cancer cells has led to biologic agents that mimic some of the natural signals that the body uses to control cell growth. These agents mitate or influence the natural immune response. They do this either by directly altering the cancer cell growth or by acting indirectly to help healthy cells control the cancer. -
President Nixon signs National Cancer Act
The signing was the beginning of the War on Cancer, the effort to find a cure for cancer by increased research to improve the understanding of cancer biology and the development of more effective cancer treatments -
Research since 1971
Since 1971 the United States has invested over $200 billion on cancer research; that total includes money invested by public and private sectors and foundations -
Invention of PET Scan
Invented by Michael E. Phelps, a UCLA medical examiner. At this time, PET scans were viewed as an exciting and innovative way to view diseases in the body.
PET/CT scans provide information to help physicians:
Locate the site of the cancerDetermine the size of the tumorDifferentiate benign from malignant growthsDiscover if the cancer has spreadSelect treatments that are likely to be appropriate -
Deaths
In 2008, 7.6 million people died of cancer - 13% of all deaths worldwide. -
Breakthrough: Treat Malignant Childhood Brain Cancer
Dr. Michael Taylor, based in Toronto, was part of the international MAGIC (Medulloblastoma Advanced Genomics International Consortium) team of experts that identified abnormalities that lead to the development of the malignant brain tumour medulloblastama. This discovery has identified more effective treatments and may spare children the side effects of unnecessary radiation. -
Survivors
Cancer survivors reach 12 million, a fourfold increase since 1971 and a 20 percent increase since 2001.
