Why we want to study and understand the tumor. 

It has a very interesting history, a morbid present and probably the worst future. It is a puzzle to both biologists & oncologists

 

History of cancer: 

Cancer is a collection of diseases and older than human civilization. 

The earliest history of diagnosed cancer is an aggressive type of osteosarcoma detected in a human relative who died in Swartkrans Cave between 1.6 and 1.8 million years ago. 

The first medical record of cancer is available in 3,000–2,500 B.C., and possibly attributable to Imhotep (the Egyptian physician-architect)

In ancient Greece (~400 B.C.) Hippocrates hypothesized the imbalance of humours as a cause of the disease.

Current status: 

 Globally, about 1 in 6 deaths are due to cancer and it became the second leading cause of death. 

Cancer is responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018. 

The global cancer therapeutics market was valued at $136,254.35 mil in 2018.

Future: 

More cases and probable death due to increased diagnosis and cost of treatment.

Failure of anti-cancer therapies. 

The global cancer therapeutics market estimated to reach $220,701.26 by 2024.

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Further reading:

The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee

GLOBOCAN 2018 database