A little history of prostate cancer

It was in 1853 that prostate cancer was specifically identified. The disease was first described as early as the 1500’s but it was only considered as a rare disease at that time. This was because at that time, technology is minimal and detection methods were poor.

The first surgical treatment of prostate cancer was performed in 1904 at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

In 1941, estrogen was discovered to be able to control the testosterone by Charles Huggins. This was used to control the growth of metastatic prostate cancer.

The discovery of the growth hormone GnRH led to the use of leuprolide and goserelin in treating the disease in the 1970s.

Presently, there are various treatments available for prostate cancer. Various factors determine the type of treatment needed for a person with prostate cancer such as the stage of the disease, and health condition of the patient, among others.