Nanotechnology and

Medicine
Cancer Detection
Updated September 2011

History of Cancer
The word cancer comes from
Hippocrates, who is known as the
father of medicine.

Engraving by Peter Paul Rubens

Updated September 2011

The Greek words carcinos and

carcinoma were used by Hippocrates
to describe tumors. Carcino and
carcinoma are the Greek words for
crab, which Hippocrates thought
looked similar to cancerous tumors.

Photo by Stemonitis
Updated September 2011

However, the oldest documented

case of cancer is in ancient Egypt
around 1500 B.C.

Ancient Eqyptian Painting: The

GraveChamber of Ramses

The Edwin Smith Papyrus, oldest surviving

surgical document

Recorded on papyrus, it documents

eight cases of tumors located on
the breast.
Updated September 2011

There are clues that even ancient

Egyptians could recognize the
difference in malignant and benign
tumors.
Malignant
(Melanom
a)
cc by Klaus D. Peter

Updated September 2011

Benign
(Lipoma)

Image by Ed Uthman, MD

Causes of Cancer
Hippocrates thought the human body
was made up of four fluids: blood,
phlegm, yellow bile and black bile.
He believed an excess of black bile
caused cancer. This was the general
thought for the next 1400 years.
Blood
Blood

Yellow
Bile
Bile

Phlegm

Black
Black
Bile
Bile

Diagram by HighPoint Learning

Updated September 2011

Ancient Egyptians
believed cancer was
caused by
the Gods.

cc by Jeff Dahl
Updated September 2011

The first autopsy was

performed by Giovanni
Morgagni of Padua.
This new procedure
allowed
medical personnel to
discover
blood circulation, which
opened doors for more
research on diseases.
Updated September 2011

1761 Portrait of Giovanni Morgagni

In the 17th century, the lymph

theory was developed and
replaced the black bile theory of
Hippocrates. Discovery of the
lymph system gave new insight
into what may be the cause of
cancer.
Abnormalities in the lymphatic
system were thought to be the
cause.
cc by The Emirr
Updated September 2011

Late in the 1800s, Rudolph Virchow

identified that cells, cancerous cells
included, derived from other cells.

Updated September 2011

Portrait of Rudolph Virchow,

(National Institutes of Health archive)

Other theories began to surface,

linking trauma and parasites to the
cause of cancer. Some thought it
spread like a liquid.

CT of Brain Trauma by
Rehman T, Ali R, Tawil I,
Yonas H
Updated September 2011

Toxoplasma (blood parasite)

Image provided by Ke Hu
and John Murray

Karl Thiersch, a
German surgeon, later
concluded that cancer
spread through
malignant cells.
Photograph of Karl Thiersch,
circa 1850s

Updated September 2011

Today we know that

cancer is abnormal,
often rapid cell growth.
Cancer can be caused by
a multitude of things.
Some habits we form can
cause cancer.
Positive habits such as
exercise, healthy eating,
and
stress reduction may
help prevent cancer from
forming.
Updated September 2011

cc by Biswarup Ganguly

Cancer
Smoking causes 30 percent
of all cancer deaths in the
U.S. and is the cause of 87
percent of lung cancer
cases. Smoking not only
affects the lungs, but it can
cause cancer in the kidney,
pancreas, cervix, and
stomach aw well as
leukemia.

Smokers lung
Image from the National
Cancer Institiute

Updated September 2011

Genetics plays a major role in the

development of cancer. Individuals
with a family history of cancer should
take extra care to monitor their
health with timely checkups.

Updated September 2011

Genetic tests are available for many

hereditary cancers. However, having a
family history of cancer does not mean
a person will develop cancer. It just
means the chances are higher.

Updated September 2011

Environmental factors are also causes

of cancer. Exposure to asbestos,
benzene, and the sun are all known to
be a cause of cancer. Asbestos has a
group of minerals found in housing
and is known to cause a rare cancer
that involves the lungs. Benzene is a
chemical found in gasoline, smoking
and pollution.

Updated September 2011

Treatment of Cancer
In ancient Egypt cancer was treated by
cauterization which is a method to destroy
tissue with a hot instrument called the fire
drill.

Cauterization Tool
Updated September 2011

cc by David Monniaux

According to inscriptions, surface

tumors were surgically removed in a
manner similar to their removal
today.
Malignant
skin cancer

Image from National Cancer Institute

Updated September 2011

Photo by Linda Bartlett

Updated September 2011

In the 20th century, the

medical field saw the greatest
progression in cancer
research. Research identified
carcinogens, chemotherapy,
and radiation therapy. Better
means of diagnosis were also
discovered.

Today cancer treatment can involve

several different treatments.
Surgery, radiation therapy, and
chemotherapy are standard methods
of treatment.

Photo by Rhoda Baer

Radiation Therapy
Updated September 2011

Photo by Linda Bartlett

Surgery

Photo by Rhoda Baer

Chemotherapy

Today some cancers are curable, and

research is ongoing.
Clinical trials, which are
research studies
conducted with people
who volunteer to take
part, are great ways for
Photo by Rhoda Baer
scientific questions to
be answered.
Updated September 2011

Clinical studies try to find better ways to prevent,

screen for, diagnose, or treat a disease. People
taking part in clinical studies have an opportunity
to contribute to the knowledge of, and progress
against, cancer. They also receive up to date care
from experts.

Photo by Rhoda Baer

Updated September 2011

Nanotechnology is being used in the

medical field to identify and treat tumors.
Intravenous injections of liposomes
carrying a gene known to kill cancer cells
and other molecules have been injected in
mice and have effectively destroyed
pancreatic tumors while leaving healthy
tissues intact.

Image by Cradel
Updated September 2011

Liposome Rendering by
Dennis Barten

We are learning more and more about

cancer treatments every day.
Nanotechnology is the newest and perhaps
the most promising treatment in modern
civilization. Gold particles injected into
cancer patients could be the answer for
which weve been looking.
Gold Nanoparticle

Graphic by Jaakko Akola and

Michael Walter, University of Jyvskyl.
Updated September 2011

This module is one of a series designed to introduce faculty and high school
students to the basic concepts of nanotechnology. Each module includes a
PowerPoint presentation, discussion questions, and hands-on activities, when
applicable.
The series was funded in part by:
The National Science Foundation
Grant DUE-0702976
and the
Oklahoma Nanotechnology Education Initiative
Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in the
material are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the
National Science Foundation or the Oklahoma Nanotechnology Education Initiative.

Updated September 2011

Image Credits
Akola, Jaako and Walter, Michael (Designers) hakkinen_nanopartikkelit [Digital Image].
CSC-IT Center for Science.

Finland..

Artist Unknown. Portrait of Rudolf Virchow. [Painting]. United States. National Institutes of Health.
Baer, Rhoda (Photographer) Treatment: Drugs/Chemotherapy [Photograph]. United States. National
Cancer Institute. (http://visualsonline.cancer.gov)
Baer, Rhoda. (Photographer) Treatment: Chemotherapy [Photograph]. United States. National Cancer
Institute. (http://visualsonline.cancer.gov)
Baer, Rhoda. (Photographer) Treatment: Radiation [Photograph]. United States. National Cancer
Institute. (http://visualsonline.cancer.gov)
Barten, Dennis (Designer). Liposoom [Digital Image]. The Netherlands. Wikimedia Commons
(commons.wikimedia.org)
Bartlett, Linda. (Photographer) Diagnosis: Biopsy [Photograph]. Unites States. National Cancer Institute.
(http://visualsonline.cancer.gov)
Bartlett, Linda. (Photographer) Technology: Lab [Photograph]. United States. National Cancer Institute. (
http://visualsonline.cancer.gov)

Updated September 2011

Image Credits
Cradel (Designer) Illu pancrease.svg [Digital Image]. United States. Wikimedia
Commons (commons.wikimedia.org)
Dahl, Jeff (Artist). Isis. [Digital Image]. Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikimedia.org)
Ganguly, Biswarup. (Photographer) Vegetables 0006.jpg [Digital Image]. India. Wikimedia Commons
(commons.wikimedia.org
Hu, Ke and Murray, John. (Photographers) Toxoplasma_Gondii.jpg [Digital Image]. United States. The
Public Library of Science (www.plos.org)
Monniaux, David. (Photographer). Cauter DXC09457.jpg [Digital Image]. United States. Wikimedia
Commons (commons.wikimedia.org)
Peter, Klaus d. (Photographer). Lipoma of the skin. [Photograph]. Germany. Wikimedia Commons
(commons.wikimedia.org)
Portrait of Giovanni Battista Morgagni [Painting] Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikimedia.org)
Rubens, Peter Paul (Artist) Hippocrates [Engraving]. Belgium. Wikimedia Commons
(commons.wikimedia.org)

Updated September 2011

Image Credits
Stemonitis (Photographer). Crab Icon.png [Digital Image]. United States. Wikimedia Commons
(commons.wikimedia.org)
The Edwin Smith Papyrus. [Surgical Writings on Papyrus]. Egypt. Wikimedia Commons
(commons.wikimedia.org)
The Emirr (Designer). The Lymphatic System [Digital Image]. United States. Wikimedia Commons
(commons.wikimedia.org)
The Grave chamber of Ramses, Vizier and head of Thebes under Amenhotep III. And IV, Scene: Funeral
procession, detail [Painting]. Egypt. Wikimedia Commons (commons.wikimedia.org)
Unknown artist. Carl Thiersch (1822-1895), German surgeon [Photograph]. Germany. Wikimedia
Commons (commons.wikimedia.org)
Unknown Photographer. Melanoma: Pathology [Photograph]. United States. National Cancer Institute. (
http://visualsonline.cancer.gov)
Unknown Photographer. Pathology: Organ: Lung (Cancer) [Photograph]. United States. National Cancer
Institute. (http://visualsonline.cancer.gov)
Uthman, Ed, MD. (Photographer). Metastatic Melanoma in Lymph Node. [Photograph] Wikimedia
Commons (commons.wikimedia.org)

Updated September 2011

References
Going Small for Big Advances (2004). National Institutes of Health Publication Number
04-5489. [Kindle Edition] Retrieved from http://www.amazon.com
The History of Cancer (2010). The American Cancer Society. Retrieved from
://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/cid/documents/webcontent/002048-pdf.pdf

Updated September 2011

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