The word cancer has many assorted meanings. Today in its most everyday form, cancer usually references a medical condition. The illness is categorized by a destructive tumor that is the outcome of unrestrained cell division. Oftentimes the illness spreads to other parts of the body by means of the lymphatic system. If left untreated, cancer usually leads to death.
Cancer has impacted humans from the start of recorded history. Fossilized bone tumors have been discovered that undoubtedly show the presence of the illness thousands of years ago. The creator of the word itself is credited to the Greek physician Hippocrates (460-370 BC). Hippocrates is regarded as the “Father of Medicine.” Despite that, Hippocrates never used the word cancer. He used the terms carcinos and carcinoma to name tumors that were ulcer and non-ulcer forming. It wasn’t until the 15th century and the Renaissance period that scientists started to call the disease cancer.Cancer has three additional major definitions, all of which predate the ailment of cancer. The first instance of the word cancer is found in Greek mythology. Cancer the crab discharged by Hera to distract Hercules amid his twelve labors. While Hercules was busy fighting Hydra, a multi-headed monster, Cancer snapped onto the heel of Hercules with his claws. Hercules stepped on Cancer and crushed him with his foot. Cancer’s quick life concludes here. Little else is known concerning Cancer the mythical crab.This brings us to our second occurrence of the word cancer. Hera was pleased with Cancer’s sacrifice and placed him into the heavens. He transformed into the constellation Cancer, but was given poorly lit stars since he didn’t defeat Hercules. The twelve labors of Hercules are accredited to the Greek poet Peisandros of Rhodes. The poem is generally considered to have been written around 610 BC.Finally, we come to the third appearance of the word cancer. After Cancer’s climb into the heavens and thus emerging as a constellation, Cancer emerges as the fourth sign of the zodiac in regard to Astrology. The zodiac is an imaginary belt in the sky that extends about eight degrees on each side of the ecliptic. The sun journeys through the twelve signs of the zodiac in the course of the tropical year. In archaic times, the sun was in the constellation of Cancer between June 22 and July 22. Tropical astrology is generally thought to have begun around 100 BC.In conclusion, the word cancer first appeared in Greek mythology in the legend of Hercules and his twelve labors around 610 BC. The usage of the word cancer in connection with a constellation appeared sometime just thereafter. Cancer became a part of tropical astronomy in about 100 BC. Cancer then began to be used to describe the medical illness of unrestrained cell division around 1400 AD.
Gen Wright is a contributor to the online community Vampire Rave, a social network for real vampires. He also contributes to the Dark Network, a network of paranormal, supernatural, and darker websites.
