السبت، 5 أكتوبر 2013

Who discovered lung Cancer

Who discovered lung Cancer

Before the availability of cigarettes lung cancer was rather a rare disease. As a matter of fact the disease was not identified until the mid 1700s. In 1761, it was recognized as a distinct disease and an array of characteristics of the disease were identified in 1810. In the late 19th as well as in the early 20th centuries some minor connection between lung tumors and lung cancer were identified.


However, it was not until 1929 when the connection between smoking and lung cancer were discovered, by German physician Fritz Lickint. The discovery led to a wide spread campaign against the use of tobacco in general and smoking in particular especially in the then Nazi German. The discovery was as a result of several clinical studies linking lung cancer preference with enhanced smoking. Most of heavy smoking then shown were at higher risk of developing the disease and indeed were the leading victims of the disease. This statistical backing formed a strong bases of Frizt discovery.

In 1950s a number of researchers from Britain (England) published an article in the British Doctors Study that provided concentrate and formidable proof, epidemiological evidence and statistics to link smoking with lung cancer. The study also linked smoking to a number of other diseases including myocardial infarction, respiratory disease just to mention but a few. As such the discovery of lung cancers is to a large extend to the works by the British Doctors Study.

Recognition that smoking causes lung cancer
The very first research towards this line was done by Richard Doll and Austin Bradford both British physiologist and epidemiologist respectively. This team of two was later to be joined by Sir Richard Peto a professor at the University of Oxford. The three then run several random tests, analyzed them and later prepared a report and published the subsequent studies.

It was due to this discovery that the Surgeon general of the United States recognized smoking as the lead cause of the lung cancer in 1964 and started a campaign against it.
But the question is who discovered lung cancer? Was it discovered by Frizt or the British researchers. And did they actually discover lung cancer or the link between lung cancer and smoking. The question of who discovered lung cancer is for an individual to give answer for himself or herself. What this article intended to do is to provide facts surround the topic under discussion thus enlighting people to make more informed decision.

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