history of cancer
Cancer is a disease which every person fears in today’s time. Everything from air to water and food is polluted. Which is causing cancer. This disease is still fatal and if not treated on time, the patient may even die. The name of cancer has been heard for more than three decades, but do you know how old this disease is. When was the first case of cancer, which cancer was it and how was it identified? Let us know about this in detail.
According to the oldest evidence found by scientists, cancer Traces have been found in dinosaur fossils dating back 70 million years. Tumors found in dinosaur bones prove that this disease existed even before the arrival of humans. Although its first case in humans came much later
First official case of cancer in humans
The Cancer Atlas According to , the oldest documented evidence of cancer in human history comes from ancient Egypt. The tumor, found in an Egyptian man about 3000 years ago, is believed to be the first official human case of cancer. At that time the Egyptians believed that this disease was a curse of the gods and there was no cure for it. There was no name for this disease then. People knew only about tumor i.e. any lump in the body. Such a lump which has no cure and the person who had it in his body would die.
How did Cancer get its name?
The name cancer was given to this disease by the Father of Medicine, Hippocrates. He named this disease Carcinoma, which was later called cancer. He believed that cancer was caused by the imbalance of blood, bile and phlegm. When it deteriorates, the body’s immunity reduces. Which later causes cancer.
Dr. Rohit Kapoor in the Oncology Department at Max Hospital It is said that the recognition of cancer is quite old, but the correct information about it has been received only in the last few decades. Earlier, cancer treatment was limited to removing the tumor only. After this, when post-mortems of cancer patients started, the type of cancer was also revealed. After this, when the microscope was invented around the 17th century, the first successful mastectomy took place. Now it is the modern era where cancer treatment is personalized.
Why are cancer cases increasing rapidly in the world?
Regarding this, Dr. Rohit Kapoor says that there are many reasons for increasing cases of cancer. The first is that the disease is being recognized more now. That means tests have increased and people have become aware, so the disease is becoming more prevalent. The second major reason is bad lifestyle and eating habits. Because of this, free radicals are increasing in the body which are increasing cancer. It is a matter of concern that now people are falling prey to this disease at an early age.