Texas Breast Center Releases Article on the History of Breast Cancer

Waxahachie, Texas -

For Women’s History Month this March, Texas Breast Center in Waxahachie, Texas produced an article on the history of breast cancer. Starting with the first record of breast cancer on an ancient Egyptian papyrus dating back to 3000 BC, breast cancer has been around for as long as humanity has. Treatment for the disease has been difficult and varied, ranging from balancing the body’s “four humours” to spiritual healing to a visit to the local barber for rushed surgery.

Dr. Gorman walks through a basic timeline of breast cancer and its treatments, leading to the modern process of potential diagnosis and treatment options. Based on the knowledge gained from the near 5000 years of studying the disease, “Treatment plans can–but do not necessarily–include breast surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted medical therapy, as well as cosmetic surgery to aid in the patient's self-image after an oncological procedure” in combination or independently.

While some cancer or cancer treatment standards where only introduced recently (chemotherapy was only introduced in the 1940s), many terms and concepts have been around since the beginning. Carcinoma, or “cancer that starts in skin or organ tissue cells rather than in structures like blood vessels or bones”, was first introduced in Ancient Greece around 460 BC (the term karkinoma was used), and the idea of categorizing breast cancer in stages was introduced by the Scottish surgeon, John Hunter, in the 18th Century.

Dr. Gorman and the team at Texas Breast Center prioritize keeping their patients informed about their personalized treatment plans and new research. Dr. Gorman is a breast surgeon focusing on breast oncology, certified by the American Board of Surgery, and serves as the Medical Director of Surgical Services and Chief of Surgery for Baylor Scott and White.