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Views on Ocular Cancer in Arabo-Islamic Medicine and The JBUON 2016; 21(1): 276-278 ISSN: 1107-0625, online ISSN: 2241-6293 • www.jbuon.com E-mail: [email protected] HISTORY OF ONCOLOGY Views on ocular cancer in arabo-islamic medicine and the leading influence of the ancient Greek medicine Konstantinos Laios1, Marianna Karamanou1, Achilleas Chatziioannou2, Τhomas Nikolopou- los3, Marilita M. Moschos4, George Androutsos1 1Department of History of Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens; 2Department of Radiology, “Areteion” University Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens; 3Department of ENT, Attikon University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens; 41st Ophthalmological Clinic, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece Summary ogous ones of ancient Greek physicians as these are pre- served in the medical texts of the most famous Byzantine In the ophthalmological treatises of the medieval Ara- doctors, indicating the influence of ancient Greek medicine bo-Islamic physicians such as al-Mawsili (9th - 10th cen- in the Arabo-Islamic one. tury), al-Kahhal (ca. 940-1010), Haly Abbas (10th century) and al Sadili (14th century) we may find references about ocular cancer, focusing on eyelid tumors and cancerous ul- Key words: ocular cancer, history of ophthalmology, cers of the cornea. These references are similar to the anal- arabo-islamic physicians, ancient Greek medicine Introduction In the medieval period the Arab-Islamic world Ocular cancer in ancient Greek medical developed an important medical tradition leading literature in several discoveries and innovations. The medi- eval Arabo-Islamic medicine finds its roots in the Although ancient Greek physicians were very interested in cancer and devoted many and long Hellenistic culture but it does not just repeat the medical treatises in order to describe, explain and Graeco-Roman ideas; it goes further in develop- teach several types of cancer, the surviving refer- ing a distinctive medical tradition. Translations of ences concerning ocular cancer are very few and ancient Greek medical texts into Arabic transmit- come to us from indirect sources [3]. This fact is ted the Hellenistic thought to philosophers and not easily explained. We could think that the lack scientists. Furthermore, these Arabic texts were of numerous references about this special type of translated into Latin passing the knowledge in the cancer is due to its rare appearance or we could Christian West [1,2]. place the hypothesis that the majority of the man- However, the influence of the ancient Greek uscripts on ocular tumours were lost [4]. This medicine remains dominant as it was the base of second hypothesis is supported by the fact that the arabo-islamic medical education. These influ- several treatises about ocular pathologies writ- ences can be detected in all fields of medical sci- ten by important ancient Greek physicians such ence including the concepts on ocular cancer. as Galen (130 - 201) [5], Soranus of Ephesus (98– Correspondence to: Marianna Karamanou, MD, PhD. 4 Themidos Street, Kifissia, 14564, Athens, Greece. Tel: +30 6973606804, E-mail: [email protected] History of Oncology 277 description can be seen in the reference of Paul of Aegina (ca. 625-690 AD) about corneal cancer [9], where all the symptoms described above are repeated mentioning also the severe pain and the incurable of the condition. Similar references are also found in the writings of Joannes Actuarius (ca. 1275 - ca.1328) [10]. Ocular cancer in Medieval Arabo-Is- lamic medical literature Of all the branches of Arabian medicine the most studied was ophthalmology. The oculist in the days of the caliphs was an honoured member of the medical profession and occupied a unique place in the society. Arabo-islamic ophthalmolo- gists showed impressive skills in the treatment of trachoma, trichiasis, entropion and cataract and provided a detailed description of eye anatomy and affections [11] (Figure 1). Furthermore their descriptive drawings and original forms of the surgical instruments passed on to surgeons in the West contributing in the development of current ophthalmology. However in their manuscripts sparse passages on ocular cancer are found men- tioning the redness of the eye, the varicose-like appearance of the ophthalmic vessels, the burning Figure 1. Oribasius (ca. 325-403 AD) who identified sensation, the severity of the pain and the consti- tissue necrosis in uterine cancer. tutional symptoms [11]. Abu’l-Qûsim Ammar ibn Ali al-Mawsili (ca. 9th-10th century), known as al-Mawsili or in the 138) and Aretaeus of Cappadocia (2nd century AD) West under his Latinized name Canamusali, in have been lost [6]. It is very probable that in these his book on ophthalmology entitled: “The Select lost books there would have been special chapters Work on the Treatment of the Eye” wrote about devoted to eye cancer. Nevertheless, the general the incurable and painful ocular cancer [12]. view, which was repeated many times in ancient In his turn, Alī ibn Īsā al-Kahhal (ca. 940- Greek medical texts, that cancer can be found in 1010), surnamed al-Kahhal (meaning the oculist) every organ, is an indication that physicians were and known with his Latinized name Jesu Occulist, also concerned about ocular cancer. in his famous ophthalmological treatise: “Note- Specific references about eye cancer are found book of the Oculists”, described eyelid cancer as in the medical texts of the most famous Byzan- a disease that was mainly affected the elderly and tine physicians, who in their turn preserved the was incurable [13]. knowledge of the past. Oribasius (ca. 325-403 AD) ‘Ali ibn al-’Abbas al-Majusi (died 982-994), saved the views of Rufus of Ephesus (1st -2nd cen- also known as Masoudi, or as Haly Abbas, in his tury AD) concerning eyelid cancer [7] and Aetius famous book “Kamil al-San’aa al-Tibbiya” (The of Amida (ca. 502-575) preserved the views of the complete art of medicine) translated by Constan- eye specialist Demosthenes Philalethes (1st cen- tine the African in the 11th century, he mentioned tury AD) on cancerous ulcers found in the dark the corneal cancer and ulcers [2]. spot of the eyeball, meaning probably iris and cor- Sadaqa ibn Ibrahim al Sadili (ca. 14th cen- nea [8]. Ocular ulcers were considered cancerous tury), the author of the last Arabian treatise on and they were described as painful and difficult to the eye entitled: “Oculistic aids for diseases of the treat. It is pointed that they may appear mostly in visual apparatus”, pointed out that ocular cancer elderly and they could provoke pain not only in can be detected in every place of the eye but espe- the eye area but also in the head. An analogous cially on the cornea [11]. JBUON 2016; 21(1):277 278 History of Oncology Discussion modern medicine about the disease [14]. The information concerning eye cancer found Conclusion in ancient Greek medical literature remained un- changed in the Medieval Arabo-Islamic one. The The numerous treatises on eye anatomy, physi- Greek idea that ocular cancer can occur in every ology, pathology and optics written by Arabo-Islam- place of the eyeball but mainly on the cornea, was ic physicians show their surprising and unexampled adopted by Medieval Arabo-Islamic physicians interest on ophthalmology. Nevertheless, despite who also repeated that this type of cancer was ul- the discoveries and innovations introduced mainly cerous, painful and mainly incurable. Eyelid can- in the field of ocular surgery, these physicians fol- cer was the second type of ocular cancer found in lowed the doctrines of ancient Greek ones regarding the Arabo-Islamic medical texts as it was earlier the anatomy and the pathology of the eyeball. Galen in the Greek ones. Arabo-Islamic physicians did influenced the arabo-islamic physicians especially not argue the concept of cancer therefore they es- in ocular anatomy, while the Greek ideas on ocular poused the Greek view about the disease stating pathology interfused Medieval Arabic medical lit- that cancer was a disease where tumors and ul- erature. This phenomenon was repeated in the case cers can be present. Hence the descriptions of an- of ocular cancer, where Arabo-Islamic physicians cient Greek and Medieval Arab physicians about did not challenged ancient Greek perception on the ocular cancer do not comply with the doctrines of subject. References 1. Rashed R. Encyclopedia of the History of Arabic Sci- 9. Paul of Aegina. Epitomae medicae libri septem. In: ence, Vol.2. London/New York, Routledge,2009. Heiberg JL (Ed): Paulus Aegineta, 2 vols In: Corpus 2. Prioreschi P. Byzantine and Islamic Medicine. Omaha, medicorum Graecorum, vols. 9.1 & 9.2. Leipzig, Teu- Horatius Press, 2001. bner, 1921, 9.1:3-388; 9.2:5-411 (Cod: 206,400: Med). 3. De Lacy OL. How Greek science passed to the Arabs. 10. Joannes Actuarius. De diagnosi. Ideler JL (Ed) : Phys- London, Routledge and K. Paul, 1948. ici et medici Graeci minores, vol. 2. Berlin: Reimer, 1842 (repr. Amsterdam: Hakkert, 1963): 353-463. liber 4. Karamperopoulos D, Kouzis A, Cancer in ancient 1: prooemium, capp. 1-57 (pp. 353-417). liber 2: prooe- Greek Physicians. Athens, Stamoulis, 2004 (In Greek). mium, capp. 1-41 (pp 418-463). (Cod: 33,864: Med.). 5. Savage-Smith E. Galen’s lost ophthalmology and the 11. Hirschberg J. Geschichte der Augenheilkunde. Band Summaria Alexandrinorum. In: Nutton V (Ed): The II. Leipzig, Engelmann, 1899-1918. unknown Galen. London, Institute of Classical Stud- 12. Hirschberg J. Die arabischen Augenärzte / 2 Ámmār ies, School of Advanced Study, University of London, b. Álī al-Mauşilī: Das Buch der Auswahl von den 2002, pp 121-138. Augenkrankheiten. Halīfa al-Halabi: Das Buch vom 6. Prioreschi P. A History of Medicine, Roman Medicine, Genügenden in der Augenheilkunde. Salāh ad-Dīn: Li- Vol.3.
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