[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-340707-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-340707-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","cancer-a-disease-of-modern-times","Cancer: A Disease of Modern Times?","","Cancer remains a leading cause of mortality worldwide, yet its origins are still debated across medical and historical fields. This open access review traces documented cancer histories from ancient Egyptian and Greek records through the evolution of oncology care, including shifts toward more scientific explanations by Hippocrates and Galen. It examines modifiable risk factors and public health efforts tied to environmental carcinogens like air pollution and tobacco smoke, while arguing that causes may be multifactorial and partly shaped by modernisation and documentation.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/","Healthcare",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/cancer-a-disease-of-modern-times/340707/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/cancer-a-disease-of-modern-times/340707.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Theodora","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-23","2026-09-22",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",9,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"How does the review describe cancer as a disease?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Cancer is described as a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells, influenced by genetics, environmental exposures, lifestyle choices, and infections.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What are the review’s key points about global cancer burden?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"The review states that about one in five deaths worldwide is caused by cancer and projects a significant rise over the next 20 years, with growth expected by 2040 to reach 28.4 million cases.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"What role do modifiable risk factors play according to the review?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"The review highlights modifiable risk factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, and physical inactivity, noting that a substantial share of UK cancer cases in 2015 was attributable to known risk factors.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},340707,1790122376,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,101,106,110,115,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":97,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":98,"show_sort_weight":99,"slug":100},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":102,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":103,"show_sort_weight":104,"slug":105},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":107,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":112,"show_sort_weight":113,"slug":114},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":97,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":107,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":102,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":144},687197207919,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/avatar/a000253d6f5f7c60be?x-image-process=image/resize,m_fixed,w_180,h_180&k=1779446848396160552","Review began 11/17/2024  \nReview ended 11/26/2024  \nPublished 11/28/2024  \n© Copyright 2024  \nNwosu. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License CC-BY 4.0. , which permits unrestricted use , distribution , and reproduction in any medium , provided the original author and source are credited.  \nDOI: 10.7759/cureus.74666  \nOpen Access Review Article  \nCancer: A Disease of Modern Times?  \nNatasha Nwosu 1  \n1. Oncology, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, GBR Corresponding author: Natasha Nwosu, [natasha.nwosu2@nhs.net](natasha.nwosu2@nhs.net)  \nAbstract  \nCancer is a leading cause of mortality worldwide. Despite its prevalence, its origins remain a topic of debate, sparking discussion within the medical and historical professions. It had been feared for centuries, initially perceived as an incurable condition fraught with social stigma. This review details the historical records of cancer, tracing its earliest documented cases in ancient Egyptian and Greek civilizations, and follows the evolution of oncology treatment. Advances in medical technology and screening methods may have led to improved detection of cancer, with conditions that may have gone unnoticed in the past now diagnosed more frequently. Hippocrates and Galen later advanced the understanding of cancer by shifting from supernatural theories to a more scientific approach.  \nThe role of modifiable risk factors is highlighted, as well as the controversy surrounding the concept that cancer is a product of modern times. Environmental influences such as air pollution and tobacco smoke have been identified as carcinogenic, with public health campaigns subsequently developed. Whilst these preventative efforts aim to reduce such risks, evidence suggests that the causes of cancer are likely multifaceted and, therefore, focusing solely on industrial factors may simplify a complex issue. The discussion remains open as to whether cancer is truly the product of modern industrialisation, or whether its low incidence in the past was due to less effective documentation and understanding. The apparent low prevalence of cancer in ancient times raises questions about the role of carcinogenic environmental factors in modern societies, with a need for continued research to explore its true origins and, therefore, develop effective strategies for prevention and treatment.  \nCategories: Epidemiology/Public Health, Oncology, Environmental Health  \nKeywords: modern industrialisation, modifiable risk factors, origins of cancer, population health, tobacco smoke  \nIntroduction And Background  \nCancer is a group of diseases, characterised by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells. It can develop in several different parts of the body and is influenced by a variety of factors, including genetics, environmental exposures, lifestyle choices, and infections [1] . Over time, cancer has become increasingly recognised as a leading cause of death and this may be due, in part, to the development in management and consequent decreasing prevalence of other causes of mortality. Examples of these include stroke and cardiovascular disease [2], where the decreased prevalence may be related to improved primary prevention strategies, such as NHS health checks. Based on recent trends in global mortality, it is projected that cancer may surpass cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of premature death in most countries over the course of this century [2] .  \nApproximately one in five deaths worldwide is caused by cancer and, considering global cancer statistics produced by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, it is estimated that the burden of cancer will rise significantly over the next 20 years [3] . These statistics used estimates of incidence and mortality for 36 cancers across 185 countries and analysed both the number of new cases and new deaths associated with each of these types of cancer. At","cbCaintVovpnd4UW","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaintVovpnd4UW","pdf",131891,"English","# Abstract\n# Introduction And Background\n## Cancer as a disease group\n## Global burden and projections\n## Modifiable risk factors in the UK\n## Need for exposure data and prevention impact","[{\"question\":\"How does the review describe cancer as a disease?\",\"answer\":\"Cancer is described as a group of diseases characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells, influenced by genetics, environmental exposures, lifestyle choices, and infections.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the review’s key points about global cancer burden?\",\"answer\":\"The review states that about one in five deaths worldwide is caused by cancer and projects a significant rise over the next 20 years, with growth expected by 2040 to reach 28.4 million cases.\"},{\"question\":\"What role do modifiable risk factors play according to the review?\",\"answer\":\"The review highlights modifiable risk factors such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, obesity, and physical inactivity, noting that a substantial share of UK cancer cases in 2015 was attributable to known risk factors.\"}]","Cancer: A Disease of Modern Times? | PDF",1790038352,15]