controversy concerning constitutional cancer: historical review

Objective: the general pathology of cancer was long in turmoil over the two extremes of constitutionalism and localism. therefore, my mini-library of historical works was searched so as to obtain a good idea as to the ultimate development. methods: many different literatures on the subject matter were reviewed and used. results: two major issues were delineated. the constitutional theory saw cancer being a whole body affair with some local manifestations whereas the localists believed in a focal origin which may go on to manifest widely. naturally, there was the midway group called the dualists who managed to hold both conceptsconclusion: the controversy that reigned in the history of these concepts are deemed to be worthy of documentation. by 1900, the localists gained the upper hand principally on the principle of embolism.