History of Surgery for Colon Cancer Over the Last 300 Years

The history of surgery for colon cancer starts with the Scotch surgeon John Hunter (1728-1793). He discovered that surgery might cure some cancers. Later, as anesthesia developed, more cancer surgeries were developed.

In the 19th Century, development of the microscope and cellular pathology provided a more scientific approach to cancer treatment. These allowed better understanding of what cancer did to a patient. They also allowed body tissue to be examined and better diagnoses to be made.

By the 20th Century, Watson and Crick discovered DNA, and study of cancers advanced. DNA studies showed the family history link in some cancers.

But the word cancer goes all the way back to the Greek philosopher Hippocrates (460-370 BC). Considered the father of medicine, he used the terms carcinos and carcinoma to describe tumors (both with and without ulcer development). In Greek, the terms mean "like a crab" because the finger-like spread of cancer looks like the shape of a crab. These terms were later translated into Latin as "cancer," the Latin word for crab.

Colon Cancer Treatments

Ancient doctors found that cancer returned even after surgery. In early Roman times, cancer was declared incurable as there was no long-lasting treatment or relief. This state continued for centuries, even into the 20th century. This history has created a great deal of fear in patients diagnosed with cancer. And fear, further, often leads people to delay diagnosis for fear of treatment.

Several surgeons are credited with cancer operation developments before the era of chemotherapy really began. These medical professionals created major breakthroughs in treatment:

• A London surgeon named Hadley found that cancer spread from the first growth
• A surgeon at John Hopkins named Halsted determined that blood did not spread cancer
• An English surgeon named Paget found that cancer spread only to some organs, and needed a proper setting for growth

These new discoveries created an understanding metastasis or the growth of cancer. They opened the modern chapter in the history of surgery for colon cancer. And they helped create an understanding that new treatments needed to be developed. In the case of colon cancer, the invention of colon surgery was a direct result of this new research.

Other advances have recently been made in the removal of tissue without the resulting need to use a colostomy (an external collection device for feces). Better surgical instruments and radiation treatments have also been developed at this time.

In the 1970's, scans replaced surgery as a detection method for colon cancer. Fiberoptic technology allowed cameras to view the inside of the body. Special surgical instruments allowed surgery with smaller openings, faster healing and the removal of tumors through tubes inserted in the body.

Safer and less invasive ways of destroying tumors are being studied or used:

• freezing with liquid nitrogen
• lasers to cut instead of a scalpel in the case of rectum cancer

Radiation, initially thought to be a good solution, proved to also cause cancer in some cases. But new developments have allowed better aiming and more control of radiation.

Colon cancer surgery and advances in new drugs created new ways of treating colon cancer. Immunotherapy, or the growth and development of the cancer cells have opened new ways of treating colon cancer. Every year new developments are made with specialized treatments, new medicines and new techniques.

Conclusion

The history of surgery used to cure colon cancer has advanced from where it used to be almost futile with the outcome near certain death; by the 1970s one out of two people survived a cancer diagnosis; now two out of three survive. Today there are more than 11 million cancer survivors in the US. Exciting new treatments continue to develop offering a wider range of options for the colon cancer patient and their doctor.

Written by Cindy Welch - 4/18/09

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