History of pediatric hematology and oncology in Greece.

The history of pediatric hematology and oncology in ancient and modern Greece is reviewed. Ancient Greek literature concerning cancer starts with Hippocrates, is enriched by Galen during the 2nd century AD, and ends with the end of the Byzantine period. Hematology and oncology in modern Greece were adopted as fields of special interest by a few Greek pediatricians. Their work constituted the basis for and the start of pediatric hematology and oncology, which has followed the advances of science ever since.