Cancer Is Alive And Active

The term 'cancer' just about instills the greatest fear in people as it is very much associated with the notion of 'no cure' and hence, death. Cancel is a complex group of over 100 different diseases and the formidable aspect of it lies in the fact that it can encroach on any and every organ in the human body. The human body is made up of cells and these cells divide and multiply to keep the body functioning properly. When this multiplication of cells escalates beyond its normal growth rate, growths are formed. These growths, more commonly known as tumors, can either be benign (non-cancerous) or malignant (cancerous).

The oldest recorded case of cancer to date was made in ancient Egypt, about 1500 BC. According to the eight documented cases written on papyrus, the tumors were found in the breast. Treatment for cancer in those times was by cauterization. Cauterization, a method requiring the use of a hot drill, was employed by the ancient Egyptians to kill tissues. Besides this treatment, there was no other medical aid for cancer. Cancer, in the olden days, was feared as much as it is today.

Surprisingly, although medical advances and technology were absent in ancient times, there were recorded evidence that the Egyptians know how to differentiate the benign tumors from malignant ones. The inscriptions on the Egyptian walls tells us that growths which appeared near the surface of the skin were surgically removed with sharp knives.

People living in earlier times than the ancient Egyptians were less fortunate. The Greek doctors, for example, had little knowledge of the human body and could only treat common ailments. The general belief was the body was made up of four substances: blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. For many years, the black bile was thought to be the main cause of cancer. This belief was embraced for thousands of years. Of course, in superstitious societies of those times, the supernatural was the other primary cause. Even in ancient Egypt where treatments were available, many attributed cancer to God's wrath upon the people.

Cancer grew to be a notorious disease, killing millions each year and topping the ranks as the primary killers. The greatest advancements in the treatment of cancer took place in the 20th century. Oncologists have identified carcinogens as the cause of cancer and administered treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation to destroy cancer cells. No doubt cancer continues to prevail today, but man is not about to give up on researching to find a cure for sufferers.