History Of Cancer as World Marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Before we talk about Breast cancer, did you know that in the year 1775, the first type of cancer was identified by a British surgeon named Percivall Pott? It was the cancer of the scrotum, common among chimney sweepers.

Cancer had claimed a number of lives before it was finally discovered and the journey to seek a cure began.

Chemotherapy, introduced in the 1940s was to be discovered centuries after cancer. Cancer was first contained by the use of nitrogen mustards and folic acid antagonist drugs before more principles were introduced and incorporated.

When the microscope was introduced in the 18^th century, scientists discovered that the ‘cancer poison’ spreads to the other parts of the body through the lymph nodes from the primary tumor.

The first surgery used to treat cancer had very poor results, a fact that has since been attributed to poor hygiene during the surgery, only two out of 60 survived.

Asepsis was to later be introduced, in the 19^th century to improve survival chances for patients who went in for surgery to remove cancer tumors.

Cancer Radiation was discovered by scientist’s couple Marie Curie and Pierre Curie at the end of the 19^th century.

Marie and Pierre came across the first effective non-surgical cancer treatment which is today known as cancer radiation

Cancer Radiation meant that surgery was to no longer operate in isolation as surgeons could work hand in hand with radiologists to help more patients.

Radiation enabled patients to visit and get admitted to hospitals where data would be collected and compiled to strengthen studies which to date are continuing with very little progress to show over the century.

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Cancer has killed billions since its inception and billions have been spent in the urgency to seek a cure which is yet to be found and if found, then, it is yet to make public.

In the billions that have been diagnosed with cancer, there have been survivors; how did the survivors make it…early diagnosis which is why we are advised to go for regular screening.

October is the Breast Cancer Awareness Month and it is marked in the world to increase awareness and create attention to enable early detection and ease in treatment, increasing survival chances.

1.38 Million People are detected with Breast Cancer as 458 000 Die Every Year which translates to 1254 deaths every day in the World as Kenya accounts for 113 of those deaths according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) Globocan, 2018.

Look out for any of the signs below on your breasts and seek a doctor’s opinion if worried:

• Change in the look or feel of the breast, swelling, warmth, redness, darkening or any discoloration.
• Change in the look or feel of the nipple, discharge that starts abruptly.
• Lump, hard knot or thickening inside the breast or underarm
• Change in the size or shape of the breast, dimpling or wrinkling of the skin
• Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple, pulling off the nipple or other parts of the breast
• Fresh pain in a single spot of the breast that does not go away.

If at all you experience any of the above, visit your health care provider, it may not necessarily be breast cancer but it is better not to take any chances. Wishing you a cancer-free life.

Read:

• Ten Most Affordable Cancer Screening Centres in Kenya
• Signs You Have Breast Cancer as World Marks Breast Cancer Awareness Month