title: Surgical Oncology Nursing: Looking Back, Looking Forward.
abstract: To provide a historical perspective in the development of oncology nursing and surgical oncology as critical components of today's health care system.
  
  
  
  Review of the literature and Web sites of key organizations.
  
  
  
  The evolution of surgical oncology nursing has traversed a historical journey from that of a niche subspecialty of nursing that had very little scientific underpinning, to a highly sophisticated discipline within a very short time. Nursing continues to contribute its expertise to the encyclopedic knowledge base of surgical oncology and cancer care, which have helped improve the lives of countless patients and families who have had to face the difficulties of this diagnosis.
  
  
  
  An understanding of the historical context for which a nursing specialty such as surgical oncology nursing evolves is critical to gaining an appreciation for the contributions of nursing.
authors.forename: Patrick C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Crane
authors.forename: Louise
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Selanders
mesh_terms: D005544:Forecasting; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing*; D013527:Perioperative Nursing / Q000266:history* / Q000639:trends*; D000071077:Surgical Oncology / Q000266:history* / Q000639:trends*
keywords: nursing; nursing history, oncology history; oncology; surgical oncology nursing