What do you know about breast cancer? If we were to make a
list of what we know about breast cancer it would read like this:
- It affects women on a world wide level.
- Early detection is the best protection.
- It can re-surface.
- It affects men on a far smaller scale.
- There are many forms of treatment.
- It has become a major cause over the last few years.
There are many interesting facts about cancer that we do not
know, or at least are not familiar with. The history of the disease is actually
a fascinating subject. Some facts about the history of breast cancer read as
follows:
- It was first noted over 3,000 years ago by ancient Egyptians.
- It was actually noted and accurately described in papyri.
- Hypocrates described the disease as a humoral disease caused by an excess of black bile, a humor component of the body.
- It was theorized that nuns got it due to a lack of intimate activity.
Breast cancer is not a trendy disease to fight, and just
like any other disease isn’t exposed and fought for trend purposes. Breast
cancer seems to be one of those harsh realities that are incredibly difficult
to deal with, even with all the discoveries in medicine and improvements in
technology.
The daughter of John Adams, the second president of the United States ,
had breast cancer and underwent what was then a grizzly procedure, a radical
mastectomy. In the 1700’s and early 1800’s detection usually came at a time
when it was too late for any type of procedure to really be effective. Often
times patients went through a far more difficult time because a procedure would
leave them weak and in agonizing pain.
Breast cancer must have been a nightmare without the aide of
diagnostic imaging procedures
to really zero in on the problem and help combat it. Unfortunately this history
is littered with many women that paid the ultimate price with either a radical
mastectomy, or their lives. Serious advocacy did not really begin until fairly
recently, especially when you consider how long breast cancer has been around.
It was not until the early to mid 1970’s that breast cancer
got serious attention. It was first lady Betty Ford’s public acknowledgement of
the disease that really set it into forward motion. The first real advocacy
movement really just referred to being open about having the disease and not
feeling like it was necessary to hide it. Ultimately the first years of the
movement really went after women making the decision to go ahead and have a voice
in treatment as opposed to having their treatment being one decisive and
difficult procedure.
Breast cancer advocacy has had to follow the lead
established by issues such as the AIDS epidemic. While AIDS does not have any
treatment programs that can eradicate the disease, all the lobbying has paved
way for aggressive fund raising and research campaigns that have made a
difference. Breast Cancer advocacy has, over a recent period of time, really
established importance by applying the same zeal of AIDS advocacy.
The history of breast cancer has seen a lot of triumph
coupled with a lot of tragedy. While we continue to pursue options, funding,
and cures, there is still a long way to go in eradicating the disease. As time
passes hopefully there will be better answers to the breast cancer question.
If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures
please feel free to give us a call. Our dedicated team of professionals here at
Clermont Radiology is eager to answer any questions you may have.
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