A medieval description of metastatic breast cancer; from Avicenna's view point.

Historically, one of the earliest breast cancer case descriptions comes from an Egyptian manuscript so called "the Edwin Smith Papyrus" dating back to the Pyramid Age. However, apart from all respective documents remained from the antiquity, concepts and standpoints of Avicenna (Ibn Sina; a famous Persian physician) in regard of the cancer are interesting. A case of breast cancer and metastatic condition has been reported by Avicenna in the Canon of Medicine. This report can be considered as a very early report of metastatic or stage IV breast cancer. He underlined that cancer should be diagnosed and cured in the early stages. With views of Avicenna, cancer is an atrabilious (black bile) swelling (tumor) which sometimes may be accompanied by pain or swelling. He also mentioned that some vessels may be appeared around the cancerous part. Avicenna extrapolated the cancer with legs of cancer crab which can to grow around the other organs and tissues.