Between parasitic theory and experimental oncology: a proposal for systematizing oncological science in Portugal, 1889-1945

This article deals with the bio-medical investigation of cancer studies in Portugal between 1889 and 1945. By examining the main works produced between the end of the nineteenth century and the middle of the twentieth century, it has been possible to illuminate and define a field of scientific endeavour which has been the scope of little study to date. Starting from the introduction and consolidation of the defining principles of experimental oncology, distinct phases can be discerned in the production of scientific material, alternating between support for the dominant theories and the application of methods for artificially creating the disease. In accordance with the principal phases of investigation, a brief systematic overview of the scope of these oncological studies is presented.