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During the period 1884 to 1922, the only option in cases of operable cancers was radical surgery, and only a minority of patients were cured. Sporadic attempts were made to treat inoperable cancer patients with bacterial toxins; however, with the discovery of x‐ray and radium, the era of radiation treatment as an alternative to surgery began. The discovery of transmissible cancers and experimental growth of cancer cells offered new information and not only led to a better understanding of the cellular composition of cancers but also yielded important information that ultimately paved the way to chemotherapy. These efforts also advanced the understanding of the pathogenesis of tumors and induced new clinical and pathologic classifications and subspecializations. It is important to emphasize that many of the initiatives and discoveries made in Europe in the second half of the 19th century were first put into clinical practice in the United States during the first 2 decades of the 20th century, including the use of x‐ray and radium for irradiation and as diagnostic tools. All things considered, the progress made between 1884 and 1922 came about through the hard work of many eminent individuals; however, there were 7 foresighted pathfinders (3 surgeons, 2 pathologists, 1 internist, and 1 physicist) who—despite their widely diverse backgrounds, personalities, and expertise—made remarkable contributions to oncology to an extent that is still felt today. During the 4 decades reviewed herein, advancements in surgical techniques and tumor pathology dominated the field of oncology; however, with the discoveries of x‐ray and radium, the era of diagnostic radiology and radiation therapy commenced. The biographies and historical background of 7 individuals who contributed the most to the progression of oncology from 1884 to 1922 are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fields of medicine and oncology made substantial progress between 1800 and 1885. The first half of this period was dominated by the spectacular progress in physiology, cytology, histology, histopathology, and diagnostic microscopy. In the second half of the period, advancements in surgical techniques, anesthesia, asepsis, and laboratory medicine, including bacteriology, chemistry, and biochemistry, led to the development of medical specialties, including surgical pathology and surgical oncology. Although wars, revolutions, and socioeconomic upheavals interrupted the daily life of the populace, distinguished artists, scientists, and physicians continued, against all odds, to advance their field of interest. Among the many eminent individuals, there were 7 renowned physicians (4 pathologists and 3 surgeons) who revolutionized medical and oncology thinking in ways that are still felt today. They were polyglots with formidable erudition, beloved teachers, and mentors, and are remembered eponymically for their contributions to oncology to this day. As a passing note, the 3 surgeons also were skillful microscopists. Cancer 2018;124:230-41. © 2017 American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In the 3 decades from 1940 to 1970, the United States became the nucleus for research, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer. The discovery of anticancer drugs, and the clinical demonstration that chemotherapy and radiation can cure cancer and have the ability to prevent recurrence of cancer, were incontrovertibly the most remarkable groundbreaking events. Consequently, the trend of less surgery and more multimodality therapy began. The introduction of radioautography, mammography, ultrasonography, computed tomography, Papanicolaou smear, and other novel laboratory tests furthered early detection of cancer and refined accurate diagnosis. The unequivocal linking of lung cancer to cigarette smoking made medical history. The delineation of the potential role of oncogenes adduced new thoughts about oncogenesis and cancer prevention, and pathologists finalized the classification and nosology of tumors. Finally, it is worth noting that although more advances were made in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of cancers than any other period in history, the overall mortality rate of patients with cancer remained high and unchanged. Cancer 2013;119:4058-4082. © 2013 American Cancer Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the period from 1962 to 1977, several antigens, notably carcinoembryonic antigen and prostate-specific antigen, were discovered and entered clinical use. Ultrasonography, positron emission tomography scanning, and magnetic resonance imaging were introduced, and adjuvant radiation and chemotherapy after limited surgery became routine procedures. Radioimmunoassay and immunohistochemistry techniques were standardized. The announcement in England and the United States that tobacco is a potent lung carcinogen was long delayed, important news. The US Cancer Act of 1971 made it possible to experiment with newly discovered drugs, transfer promising therapeutic agents from the laboratory to the clinic, and finance randomized clinical trials. Oncologists achieved a series of successes with combination chemotherapy in childhood cancers, adult lymphomas, and testis tumors. Clinical trials demonstrated that breast-conserving therapy is as effective as mastectomy. The discovery of retroviruses, reverse transcriptase, and vascular endothelial growth factor was coupled with learning about oncogenes. The 2-hit theory and the reciprocal translocation of chromosomes helped to solve some of the riddles of oncogenesis. The staging classification of cancers by the American Joint Committee on Cancer unified clinical and pathologic handling and prognostication of malignant tumors. The progress made in oncology between 1962 and 1977 came about through the dedicated work of many individuals. However, there were 9 pathfinders (3 medical oncologists, 2 surgeons, 1 medical nuclear physicist, 1 pediatrician geneticist, 1 hematologist geneticist, and 1 virologist) who, despite their diverse backgrounds, personalities, and interest, made extraordinary contributions to oncology., (© 2021 American Cancer Society.)