History of Breast Cancer
The fight against breast cancer is alive and well today, but it comes after a long, sordid history of illness. The history of breast cancer brings us back to ancient Egypt at 1600 BC, the time during which the first known medical documentation of breast cancer was recorded. The item was discovered in 1862 by Edwin Smith, a famous Egyptologist from London, but the valuable document didnt come to attention until the 20th century. The papyrus remnants described 3 cases of breast cancer: 2 women and 1 man. The doctor used a fire drill to burn the tumor, and while they were able to remove tumors in some instances, they were unable to treat the disease. On the document, the doctor concluded that there was no cure for what would later be known as breast cancer.
The next phase in the history of breast cancer takes place in Europe, where breast cancer tumors were discovered to be linked to lymph glands in the 17th century. In the 18th century, a turning point in breast cancer history took place when surgeons Jean Louis Petit and Benjamin Bell removed lymph nodes and breast tissue/muscle to stop the cancer from continuing its course. Following this success, William Stewart Halsted performed the first mastectomy, which is still performed as a treatment for breast cancer today.
Treating breast cancer includes awareness and prevention in addition to treating the disease itself, and breast cancer awareness and research finally took off in the 20th century. Many non profits and government organizations have mobilized in order to provide support to breast cancer patients, to spread awareness of breast cancer, and to collect funding to support research that is trying to discover the cure that the ancient Egyptians were unable to find. The history of breast cancer has come a long way, from discovery and treatment to awareness and scientific advancements. We have been able to learn much from the history of breast cancer, and to use that knowledge to fight it.
Breast cancer is an issue that potentially affects everybodybreast cancer is the most prevalent cancer in women following skin cancer, and it can afflict men as well. With 1 woman receiving a breast cancer diagnosis every 3 minutes, chances are that you know somebody who is currently at risk. Together, we should all join the fight against breast cancer so that we can live healthy lives that arent robbed from us by disease.
