Breast cancer is an ancient disease. Breast tumors were described by the Egyptians 3000 years before the birth of Christ. Subsequently, Greek and Roman physicians wrote about breast cancer, and the record of the disease continued through the Middle Ages and into modern times. In the course of centuries, different etiologies and pathogenesis have been proposed for breast cancer and consequently different managements have been used.
There are numerous writings in the books of famous Iranian physicians like Razi, Ibn Sina, Jorjani, Akhaveini, Ahvazi, etc. about etiology, pathogenesis, clinical symptoms and sings, differential diagnosis, and management of cancer of breast and the other organs. These writings are very important and interesting. For example, Razi cites cancerous wounds in his book "Alhavi". Ibn Sina in different parts of "Canon" has pointed to the etiology of cancer, cancerogen materials, management of the cancerous wounds, the role of surgery in the management of cancer, etc. Akhavini in his book "Hedayat al-Moteallemin" believes if cancer is in its primary period, it can be treated and its treatment will be accomplished by amputation of organ and he has mentioned that if surgery isn’t performed rooty, cancer can lead to the death of patient, despite of surgery. Jojani in "Zakhireh kharazmshahi" says that cancer can be come into existence in the all parts of body and it is mixed meat and skin and it has roots and branches.
In this research, views of the famous scientific personalities of Iran on breast cancer will be discussed, the personalities who have been able to affect the medical science, whether in their own times or later eras and the influence of their writings is not confined to their fellow citizens or contemporaries.
Rather, their influence extends beyond the limits of time and space.