Cancerology
/ˌkæn.səˈrɒl.ə.dʒi/noun
The medical study of cancer, including its causes, development, diagnosis, and treatment.
Did you know?The word cancer comes from Latin cancer, “crab,” because ancient physicians compared certain tumors and radiating veins to a crab’s body and legs.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
καρκίνος (karkinos)
“Crab; also a crab-like malignant tumor”
4th Century BCE
Greek
καρκίνος (karkinos)
“A tumor, named by comparison with a crab’s shape or claw-like veins”
Classical Latin
Latin
cancer
“Crab; malignant tumor”
Middle English
English
canker
“A spreading ulcer or destructive sore, from a form of Latin cancer”
19th Century
French
cancérologie
“The medical study of cancer”
20th Century
English
cancerology
“The study of cancer as a medical specialty”
Explore more surprising origins