Cancer was first described in human history around 3000 BC. One of the oldest known written records is found in the Edwin Smith Papyrus from ancient Egypt, which describes a case of breast cancer. This document is thought to be a copy of an even older text possibly dating back to 3000 BC itself.
The term "cancer" itself was coined much later by the Greek physician Hippocrates around 400 BC. He used the Greek word "karkinos," meaning crab, to describe tumors due to their appearance.
In summary, cancer as a disease was recognized and documented at least as early as 3000 BC in ancient Egypt, although the naming and deeper understanding of cancer developed over centuries later.