Lesions found in ancient skulls suggest that cancer may have been a medical problem long before the modern era.
Ancient Egyptian skulls studied in the Duckworth Institute Collection at the University of Cambridge in the UK have shown signs of a variety of lesions, some of which are thought to be the result of malignant tumors.
According to a case report published in the medical journal Frontiers in Medicine, the skull of a woman in her 50s, named E270, was found to have healed from a skull injury believed to have been caused by a sharp object.
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The evidence suggests the woman survived thanks to “some medical treatment and some degree of post-traumatic care,” the researchers wrote.
Skull 236 belonged to a man in his 30s and showed cut marks on the surface of the bone suggesting a tumor had been removed.
Skull E270 is shown at the bottom of the microscope. The skull had healed cranial injuries likely caused by a sharp object. (Tatiana Tondini, Alberto Isidro, Edgardo Camaros, 2024)
These findings indicate a “medical-surgical investigation,” but the researchers were unable to determine the timing of the amputations (before or after death).
“Applying the scientific method to archaeology allows us to discover new things about the past.”
The researchers concluded that these surgical procedures may have been performed during the Middle and Upper Paleolithic and Neolithic periods.
“In this context, it becomes clear that caring for others, including wound care, is an important human behavior that has also been observed in non-human primates,” the researchers write.
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Tatiana Tondini, a researcher at the University of Tübingen in Germany and lead author of the study, discussed the findings in a statement to Fox News Digital, noting that the most “remarkable finding” was the discovery of cut marks near “two secondary cancer lesions” in skull 236.
“We have confirmed that these are not fossilisation (environmental) damage and there are two possible explanations,” she said.
Skull 236, pictured here, was found to have two “secondary cancer lesions.” (Tatiana Tondini, Alberto Isidro, Edgardo Camaros, 2024)
The first possible explanation is that the ancient Egyptians attempted surgical removal of secondary tumors, “which would mark the first documented case of cancer surgery, but it’s impossible to confirm,” Tondini said.
The second possibility is that the ancient Egyptians made the cuts during an examination of the man after he had died.
“Caring for others, including wound care, is an important human behavior.”
“This is remarkable because it means the ancient Egyptians were studying cancer,” the researchers said.
Another important discovery, Tondini said, was the successful treatment of skull E270, which showed signs of damage left by a sharp object such as a sword or hatchet.
Skull E270, shown here, bore signs of damage left by a sharp object such as a sword or hatchet. (Tatiana Tondini, Alberto Isidro, Edgardo Camaros, 2024)
“Without proper treatment, it is almost impossible for this person to survive,” she said.
“The fractures show clear signs of healing, indicating that this individual survived. This means that the ancient Egyptians were able to treat severe skull fractures.”
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Tondini said the woman’s head injuries were most likely the result of an accident or domestic violence, but the depth of the wounds and signs of brutality meant they could also be battle wounds.
“If this is the case, we should reconsider the role of women in ancient Egypt,” she says. “We know that women had better rights in ancient Egypt than in Rome or Greece, but warfare was always associated with men.”
Fragment of a wall painting depicting the carrying of ointment, found in the Mechechi tomb at Saqqara, Egypt. (DEA/G. DAGLI ORTI/De Agostini via Getty Images)
Tondini said the skull was “very old” and “very fragile”, making it difficult to assess the damage with the naked eye.
“But with powerful microscopes we can characterize most lesions,” she says. “For more complex lesions, micro-CT scanning allows us to analyze their internal structure and pinpoint their origin.”
“Cancer culture”
Based on the findings of Skull 236, Tondini said, the researchers are convinced that cancer is not only a modern disease caused by unhealthy lifestyles and exposure to carcinogens, but also existed in ancient times, albeit at a lower incidence.
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Tondini admitted that she and her fellow researchers did not expect such a find until they investigated these two “highly unusual” historical artifacts.
“I remember analyzing skull 236 under a microscope to look at the characteristics of its damage,” she told Fox News Digital. “When I got to the first injury with the cut marks, I was initially a little unsure about what I was looking at.”
The lesion within skull 236 shows microscopic cut marks. (Tatiana Tondini, Alberto Isidro, Edgardo Camaros, 2024)
“I asked my colleague, Dr. Kamaros, about this and he was also very surprised by the discovery,” she continued. “We examined the characteristics of the incision and confirmed that it was human-made and that it had been made either before or shortly after the individual’s death.”
Within minutes, Tondini said, the lab “was filled with other researchers, technicians and professors, all gathered around the microscope, gazing at the lesions and unable to believe their eyes.”
Neurosurgeon’s opinion
Dr. Paul Safia, a neurosurgeon and founder of Coaxis Neurosurgical Specialists in New Jersey, commented that while this new study is intriguing, there is similar evidence of neurosurgery dating back to the Mesolithic period around 6000 BC.
“These early surgeries [known as trepanning] “Typically, a small hole is made in the skull which limits the scope of the surgery,” Safia, who was not involved in the skull study, told Fox News Digital.
A medieval surgeon performs a “trepanation” procedure on a patient’s skull (c. 1350). (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
“Clearly, our ability to perform complex neurosurgery has been limited by technology, primarily radiological imaging (CT/MRI imaging) and direct surgical visualization.”
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“With advances in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine, we are now able to tackle more complex cases, both in scope and severity,” the neurosurgeon added.
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“Ironically,” he said, there has been a “huge shift toward less invasive approaches” in cranial neurosurgery recently.
“This is welcomed by the latest technology and a leading group of cranial neurosurgeons who support these advancements, of which I am proud to be a part,” Safia added.
The left skull, 236, and the right skull, E270, have revealed fascinating findings about ancient medicine. (Tatiana Tondini, Alberto Isidro, Edgardo Camaros, 2024)
“The irony is that what’s old may actually be new again.”
Tondini said he hoped the findings would encourage further research into “cancer cases in ancient artefacts using non-destructive techniques”.
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“For other researchers and the public, applying the scientific method to archaeology allows for new discoveries about the past,” she said.
