Know the Knots

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Our Mission

At Know the Knots, our mission is to provide clear, compassionate guidance and trusted resources to those navigating breast cancer. We believe no one should face this journey alone, and we are dedicated to standing beside you through every knot and turn — offering knowledge, connection, and support when it matters most
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What is Breast Cancer?

What is Breast Cancer?

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Find Support

Latest Research

Latest Research

Online Tools

Online Tools

Living with Breast Cancer

Living with Breast Cancer

Honoring the Past, Advancing the Future

Milestones in breast cancer research mark incredible progress in prevention, detection, and treatment. Each breakthrough brings new hope for earlier diagnoses, better outcomes, and a future where breast cancer is far less threatening.

3,000 BCE to 1,500 BCE

Edwin Smith Papyrus

Egyptian surgical papyrus (Edwin Smith), M0006276. Wellcome Collection. In copyright

The oldest known description of breast tumors are found in the Edwin Smith Egyptian papyrus documents

1882

Radical Mastectomy

William Halsted develops the first radical mastectomy, the first standardized surgical treatment

1962

Tamoxifen

Tamoxifen (PubChem CID: 2733526). PubChem, National Center for Biotechnology Information. CC BY 4.0.

ICI 46,474 (as it was first known tamoxifen) was synthesized 

1965

Mammography

First unit dedicated to mammography begins to be used for early detection

1987

HER2

Discovery of HER2 gene amplification in some breast cancers

1994-95

BRCA1 AND BRCA2

Discovery of BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations, linking inherited risk to breast and ovarian cancers

2004

Oncotype DX

Oncotype DX test introduced, guiding treatment by analyzing tumor gene expression

2015

CDK4/6 Inhibitors

Palbociclib (2D structure), PubChem CID: 5330286. PubChem, NCBI. CC BY 4.0

FDA approves the first CDK4/6 inhibitor, Palbociclib, for metastatic hormone-positive breast cancer

2020s

Liquid Biopsies

Advances in liquid biopsies (blood tests to detect cancer DNA) and personalized medicine shaping treatment

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