The Innovation Of Cancer Treatment - 1940 Words

Cancer, since the beginning of history, has plagued humanity and claimed countless lives. For thousands of years, doctors could do little more than watch with horror as their patients succumbed to the often fatal condition. There is still no definite cure for cancer. However, while one might say that treatment is still in its infancy today, therapies have evolved dramatically over the last century. The innovation of chemotherapy marked a turning point in cancer treatment. Dr. Sidney Farber, a pediatric pathologist, is regarded as the father of modern chemotherapy due to his success in inducing remission in leukemia patients through the use of chemical agents. Through Dr. Farber’s innovation, chemotherapy strengthened the relationship†¦show more content†¦Today, while there is no cure for cancer, various treatments are available depending on the type and severity of the disease. Generally, tumors are surgically removed. This treatment is most often combined with other therapies such as radiation and chemotherapy (Types of Treatment). The earliest records of cancer date back to ancient times to an account on the Edwin Smith papyrus, an ancient Egyptian textbook on surgery and medicine. The writer described a woman with several tumors on her breasts along with the doctor’s futile attempts at curing her. For their conclusion, the Egyptian writer simply stated that â€Å"there is no treatment† (Bushak). Even though cancer has existed since ancient times, its basic genetic background was not discovered until 1902. Theodor Boveri, a zoologist, found that a specific type of mutated chromosomes could result in cells with an unlimited ability to divide. These types of mutations were likely the result of exposure to what are now known as carcinogens, or cancer causing substances. Carcinogens include pathogens, radiation, chemicals, and numerous other environmental factors. In 1902, even though a more complete understanding of cancer was available, the only available treatment options for patients was the remo val of surface tumors. Due to the metastatic nature of the majority of these tumors, purely surgical treatment was largely ineffective. In non-tumorous cancers, there