How old is cancer disease

In Greek, these words refer to a crab, most likely applied to the disease because the finger-like spreading projections from a cancer called to mind the shape of a crab.

Galen AD , another Greek physician, used the word oncos Greek for swelling to describe tumors. During the Renaissance, beginning in the 15th century, scientists developed greater understanding of the human body. Scientists like Galileo and Newton began to use the scientific method, which later was used to study disease. Autopsies, done by Harvey , led to an understanding of the circulation of blood through the heart and body that had until then been a mystery.

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During this period, environmental cancers were reported, and hospitals specializing in cancer care were opened. In the late 19th century, the development of better microscopes not only helped document and define disease-causing organisms, but also made possible the examination of cells and cellular activity.

Study of cancer tissues and tumors revealed that cancercells were markedly different in appearance than normal cells of surrounding tissue or the cells from which they originated. Researchers began to focus on questions such as the origin of cells and the relationship of disease to the behavior of a cell.

It was the invention of the microscope that revealed the cancer cell itself. The early 20th century saw great strides made in understanding the structures, functions and chemistry of living organisms.

Cancer research in cell culture , chemical carcinogens, diagnostic techniques and chemotherapy firmly established oncology as science. Researchers pursued different theories of the origin of cancer, subjecting their hypotheses to systematic experimentation. A viral cause of cancer in chickens was documented in , and both chemical and physical carcinogens were conclusively identified.

Chromosomal abnormalities were also investigated as possible causes of cancer.