When did oncology appear? One of the most actively developing areas of medicine to this day. The main reason everyone knows is the search for more and more effective treatments for malignant tumors. The first mentions of cancer are found in the papyrus of Edwin Smith, a medical text from ancient Egypt that dates back to the 16th century BC☝🏻 The first attempts at surgery were made around the same time period. But, of course, all of them were not too successful until the middle of the 19th century - the invention of anesthesia.