Cancer as a Disease of Rapid Growth of Cells - Research Paper Example

Cancer Cancer is a disease ified by an abnormal and rapid growth of cells. Evidently, it is the second highest cause of death in the United States and also in other countries. The evolution of cancer treatment can be traced back to the sixteenth and eighteenth century when Giovanni Morgagni from Padua began conducting autopsies on dead patients. The pathological findings sought to link the pathological data after death, to the patient’s illness. Consequently, it laid the foundation on the study of cancer known as oncology. However, it was the renowned surgeon known as John Hunter from Scotland who hypothesized that cancer could be cured through surgery. To this end, he explained on how the surgeon could decide the type of operable cancers. He is credited with stating that if the tumour was moveable and had not invaded surrounding tissues, then there was no harm in removing it. However, the surgery at the time was still very much primitive and patients were at risk of major complications. Such complications included excessive bleeding, infection and extreme pain that resulted to death of the patients. Consequently, the subsequent hundred years led to the discovery of anaesthesia which facilitated the option of surgery on treating cancer. Evidently, John Collins Warren is credited with performing the first cancer operation with the help of anaesthesia. The surgery involved the removal of cancerous salivary glands in a patient. The famous ‘century of the surgeon’ resulted to a surge in the number of cancer patients who survived after surgery. Further advancements included antiseptic techniques which were developed in 1867 by Joseph Lister. In the 19th century, scientific oncology was developed. This majorly involved the use of contemporary microscopes in examining the diseased tissues. To this end, Rudolf Virchow provided the scientific background for the contemporary examination of cancer. Evidently, Rudolf correlated the illness to microscopic pathology. Consequently, a better understanding of the cancer damage could be ascertained as well as facilitating advancements in cancer surgery. Moreover, the microscopic development aided pathologist in telling surgeons whether surgery had completely eliminated the cancerous growth. The development of radical mastectomy is credited to Professor of surgery, William Stewart Halsted towards the end decade of the 19th century. His research was based on the fact that cancer multiplied outward from the initial growth. Moreover, he noticed that there was a recurrence of breast cancer in patients that had the tumour removed but the surrounding tissue left intact. Consequently, radical mastectomy involved the complete removal of the infected breast, tumour, overlying muscle and skin. Surgeon, Stephen Paget established that cancer cells spread over the lymph system, blood but its growth was limited to a few organs. This consequently laid the ground for ‘regional lymphadenectomy’ as a treatment option. It involved the surgical elimination of lymph nodes neighbouring the infected organ. As a result, it led to a drop in rates of tumour recurrence in breast, stomach and bowel cancers. However, surgery treatment still remained as a disfiguring form of treatment until the advent of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. In 1896, Professor Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen developed the x-ray technology that laid the ground for its use as radiation treatment for cancer. Evidently, it was in France that researchers discovered daily, dosage administration of radiation to cancer patients, enhanced the chances of treatment. However, at the advent of the 20th century, it was discovered that treatment through radiation had the potential to cause cancer and cure it. Evidently, a number of pioneer radiologists tested the strength of radiation therapy on their arm skins’. They sought to identify the dosage which resulted into a pink reaction on the skin. This dosage was known as the erythema dose and was taken as the appropriate daily dosage of radiation. To this end, a number of them developed leukaemia due to the regular exposure to radiation. The last quarter of the 20th century resulted to advances in the radiation aiming technology. This was known as the Conformal Radiation Therapy (CRT) that employed special computers and to accurately map out the cancer region in three dimensions. Consequently, the radiation beams were adjusted to the shape of the tumour and directed to it from several directions. Other advanced methods of radiation therapy included, Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT), stereotactic radiation therapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery. The advent of chemotherapy came against the backdrop of research on mustard gas during World War 2. Evidently, a compound known as nitrogen mustard was discovered to react against lymphoma or cancer of the lymph nodes. To this end, it acted as a model for effective agents known as alklating agents that destroyed the DNA of cancer cells. Sidney Farber showed that aminopterin resulted to leukaemia remissions in young persons. Consequently, the drug acted as a predecessor to methotrexate. As a result, methotrexate was used for the first time in 1956 to treat choriocarcinoma tumour associated with metastatic cancer. To this end, methotrexate has been successfully used in the treatment of cancer. Evidently, further research has been conducted to improve the efficiency of chemotherapy and minimize the side effects. These include conventional methods such as monoclonal antibody therapy and liposomal therapy that produce fewer side effects. Other drugs that reduce side effects include amifostine and dexrazoxane that act as chemoprotective agents. Another treatment innovation of cancer is immunotherapy. Evidently, it was discovered after research found out that biologic agents mimicked certain natural signal used by the body to control cell growth. The technology was discovered in the 1970’s and scientists began producing monoclonal antibodies that targeted the chemical constituents of cancer cells. To this end, naturally occurring antibodies are manufactured in the laboratory. These include cytokines, interleukins and interferons that imitate the immune response of patients. Consequently the manufactured antibodies alter the cancerous growth of cells or aid the healthy cells to control the cancer. Targeted therapy equally marked another evolution in cancer treatment. Evidently, targeted therapy acted by influencing the growth control processes, division, signals that result to the death of cancer cells, and its spread. To this end, they included growth signal inhibitors that were first discovered in the 1960’s. This was after its aid in foetal growth and repair was established. Furthermore, it was established that abnormally high amounts of growth factors resulted to increase and spread of cancer cells. Hormone therapy as a treatment for breast cancer was established during the 19th century. In 1874, Thomas Beatson began research on the relation between milk production in breast and ovaries. To this end, he discovered that rabbits stopped producing milk when the ovaries were removed. He hypothesized the secretion of an alternate and separate organ was held in control by another organ. Consequently, he tested advanced breast cancer patients by removing their ovaries. To this end, he noticed improvement in the patients. Beatson had established the stimulating factor of estrogen hormone to breast cancer. Thus, he laid the foundation of contemporary hormone therapy drugs such as aromatase inhibitors and tamoxifene. Diabetes The diabetes disease has been historically recognized as a deadly and devastating disease for over 2000 years. Evidently, it was first discovered by a Greek known as Aretaeus in the first century A.D. He derived its afflictive and destructive nature from ‘siphon’, a Greek word. However, physicians such as Aretaeus were only aware of its symptoms but lacked knowledge on its effective treatment. To this end, Aretaeus offered recommendations on dates, oil, gruel, roses, and raw quinces as treatment. Towards the end of the 17th century, doctors offered prescriptions of, sweet almonds, broken red coral, jelly of viper’s flesh, blind nettles, and fresh flowers. Dr. Thomas Willis. A London physician in the 17th century discovered a means of diagnosing Diabetes Mellitus by tasting the urine of patients. Dr. Fredrick Allen, a diabetologist in the early 20th century, prescribed a diet low in calorie of up to 450 daily to his patients. This mode of treatment prolonged the life of patients but left them weak and suffering because of starvation. It was not until 1921 that Insulin was miraculously discovered by Dr Fredrick Banting and an assistant known as Charles Best from Ontario, Canada. The two personalities tested a concoction extracted from the pancreas of canine on an extremely diabetic dog. To this end, the dog stayed alive for over 70 days. Later, Dr, Macleod, Dr Banting and Dr Collip assisted each other to developed refined insulin extract which they administered to a young patient dying of insulin. The patient’s name was Leonard Thompson. The eventual recovery of the boy marked the spread of insulin as a universal treatment. Roger Hinsworth is credited with discovering the two types of diabetes in 1935. To this end, the 1950’s saw the development of sulfonylureas in treating diabetes 2. In 1961 the single use syringe was introduced by Becton Dickinson. The insulin pump was discovered in the late 1970s and it was created to copy the normal exctretion of insulin by the body. An oral medication known as Metformin was introduced in 1995 for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. The drug was designed to elevate insulin sensitivity in the body and catalyze the ability of the muscles in using up the insulin. In 1996, a fast response drug known as Lispro was introduced. To this end, the discovery of insulin in 1921 has continually undergone research for improvement and management of diabetes. Treatment of Cardiovascular diseases Over the past 60 years, medical researchers have continuously designed effective treatment methods for the wide array of cardiovascular diseases. Evidently, cardiac and thoracic surgery was introduced following the World War 2. To this end, the prevalent heart complications at the time were synonymous with rheumatic fever and its deadly effect on the heart valves. Previously, the prescribed treatment for heart attacks was bed rest and morphia. Consequently, the innovation of surgery in treating heart valve diseases associated with rheumatic fever as well as correction of congential cardiac ambiguities, marked the initial successive phase. Cardiac surgery and medical cardiology developed in tandem with investigative modes such as ultra sound and cardiac catheterisation. Towards the end of the 1950s’, cardiac pacemeakers were designed. The devices aided in the management of fainting that occurred at abnormal times and usually ended up in death. The 1960s saw the development of vein grafts for the bypass of diseases coronary arteries. This aided in the treatment of ischaemic heart disease which was a manifestation of narrow coronary arteries. To this end, cardiac pacemakes have made it possible to restore to normal the biventricular or dual chambered pacing. Medication methods such as diuretics were developed in the 20th century. These medications were designed to lower blood pressure and also included angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors. Further advances in medication included aspirin therapies that were essentially blood thinners. In addition, fibrates and statins acted as cholesterol lowering treatment methods. Other treatment options prescribed for cardiovascular diseases include lifestyle changes such as eating of low sodium and low fat diets. In the last 20 years, developments have been witnessed in non surgical correction of the supply of blood to the heart muscles. This includes percutaneous coronary intervention that is performed in a number of district hospitals. Its success in treatment has resulted to its replacement in a majority of surgical treatment methods for cardiovascular diseases. Reference cancer.org. "Evolution of cancer treatments: Surgery." American Cancer Society | Information and Resources for Cancer: Breast, Colon, Lung, Prostate, Skin. cancer.org, n.d. Web. 12 Dec. 2012. . Norfolk Heart Trust. "Norfolk Heart Trust | Treatment of Heart Disease." Norfolk Heart Trust . N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Dec. 2012. . Sattley, Melissa . "The History of Diabetes - Diabetes Health." Diabetes Health - Investigate, Inform, Inspire. diabeteshealth.com, 17 Dec. 2008. Web. 16 Dec. 2012. . Read More