The Road to the Cure

The first diagnosis of breast cancer was recorded in Egypt around 1600 BC. The Edwin Smith Papyrus, an ancient text found in 1860 in an Egyptian tomb, described eight cases with tumors or ulcers in the breast. 

For years researchers have been trying to figure out the mystery to breast cancer treatments. This year alone, 334,200 individuals in the United States were diagnosed with breast cancer according to Breastcancer.org. Millions are suffering due to this fatal condition. 

Cancer doesn’t just affect the patient, but the whole entire support system as well. It is a huge weight of mental stress and emotional strain 24/7 for most. When most people hear cancer, they hear death, and scientists are trying to change that. 

All though we have not found a cure, scientists have come a long way in treatment. We went from 0% survival, to now 89.7% of women and men survive up to five years after being diagnosed. 

The first type of cancer treatment didn’t come up until the 19th century when general anesthetic became available. This set of the Golden age for surgical innovation, many individuals were able to have life-saving surgeries. The American surgeon William Halsted attempted to remove tumors by removing extreme amounts of tissue. It was due to this, doctors knew that tumors were removable. Although doctors were unclear whether the patients were cured, some were, most were not. 

This was the first major innovations in breast cancer treatments. It also leads to more frustration, due to still not figuring out the cure. 

Although surgery did remain the mainstream for cancer-killing treatments, radiation and drugs took over with popularity. It was invented in 1896 by a medical student, Emil Grubbe. Grubbe and his partners found out that radiation could kill cancer cells, but they didn’t know-how. 

To this day radiation is a very commonly used cancer treatment, however, although it is killing cancer cells, it is also killing healthy cells. In some cases, it can do more harm than good. It’s a coin toss. 

Now in modern-day, one of the most popular treatments is chemotherapy. Anti-cancer drugs made a way in the 1940s, the first was nitrogen mustard, a poison gas used in the First World War to kill off soldiers. They figured that if they were able to lessen the poison, that they could possibly kill cancer cells with it. Other drugs appeared some offered biological insight, and others were just pure guesswork. 

In 1975, better targeting was made possible by Cesar Milstein and George Kohler. They found out how to make antibodies. They found out how to block growth signals, how to carry chemotherapy drugs to the target, and blocking the growth of blood vessels which tumors need to survive. 

With all that researchers have discovered, the quality of life for breast cancer patients has greatly grown along with the survival rate. 

Families have been put at ease a little easier.

Scientists are still pushing forward in their discovery toward a full cure for the disease that has taken the lives of millions. 

In October we take the time to remember those who have fallen, and those who are still fighting, we support Breast Cancer Awareness month.