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| Canopic jars, which were made to store organs removed from the body in the process of mummification, are seen at the site of the Step Pyramid of Djoser in Saqqara, southwest of Cairo, Egypt [File: Amr Nabil/AP] |
Scientists have uncovered evidence from ancient skulls suggesting that Egyptians may have attempted surgical treatments for cancer over 4,000 years ago. The findings, published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine in May, contribute to the understanding of how ancient civilizations addressed diseases, including cancer.
Significance of the Discovery
Ancient Egyptian medicine was advanced, with early references to physicians and procedures like bone setting and dental fillings. Until now, the extent to which Egyptian physicians investigated and operated on cancerous brain tumors was unknown. This discovery could represent the earliest known case of surgical treatment for cancer.
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| Medicine in ancient Egypt was more advanced than in other ancient civilisations. This limestone relief from about 2980 BC depicts Imhotep, an ancient Egyptian physician, seated, with surgical instruments and a birthing chair [Photo12/Universal Images Group via Getty Images] |
Lead author Edgard Camaros, a palaeopathologist at the University of Santiago de Compostela, stated, "Our research shows that they performed oncological surgery on human bones with cancerous lesions. While it's unclear if this was a surgical treatment or an exploratory autopsy, it was undoubtedly an effort to understand what we now call cancer."
Discovery Methodology
The study examined two ancient skulls, revealing evidence of surgeries for both general head injuries and cancer. These skulls, discovered in the mid-1800s and now part of the University of Cambridge’s Duckworth Laboratory collection, were analyzed using advanced technologies such as microscopic analysis and computed tomography (CT) imaging.
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| A replica of the 3,500-year-old Papyrus Ebers, the largest scroll on the medical science of ancient Egypt, in the showroom of the Albertina University Library in Leipzig, Germany [Waltraud Grubitzsch/picture alliance via Getty Images] |
One skull, dated between 2687 BC and 2345 BC, belonged to a man aged 30 to 35. It exhibited a large lesion from malignant tumors and about 30 smaller lesions. Researchers found cut marks around these lesions, likely made with a sharp instrument.
Tatiana Tondini from the University of Tubingen noted, "We aimed to learn about cancer's role in the past and how ancient societies dealt with it. Observing the cut marks under the microscope was astonishing."
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| The Edwin Smith Papyrus, the world’s oldest surviving surgical document, was written in hieratic script in ancient Egypt about 1600 BC. The text contains anatomical observations and describes the examination, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of 48 types of medical problems in detail [Pictures From History/Universal Images Group via Getty Images] |
The purpose of the incisions remains unclear, and it's unknown whether the subject was alive or deceased during the procedure. If posthumous, it could indicate experimental or autopsy practices. If alive, the incisions suggest an attempt at treatment.
The second skull, dating from 664 BC to 343 BC, belonged to a woman over 50. It also showed lesions from cancerous tumors but no signs of attempted treatment. However, it had healed fractures from severe trauma, suggesting some form of successful medical intervention.
Historical Context of Cancer in Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egyptians believed diseases were divine punishments but excelled in medical care, using meat, honey, lint, and herbs for treatment. While cancer was likely not well-understood, ancient texts indicate it existed. Previous rarity in fossil records led to beliefs that modern factors primarily caused cancer. However, this and other recent findings suggest cancer was more common historically.
"Cancer is as old as multicellular life," said Camaros. "It's important to recognize that cancer was more prevalent in the past than previously thought."
The Edwin Smith Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian medical text, references an "untreatable grave disease" believed to be cancer. Ancient Egyptians diagnosed cancer by examining and classifying swellings and pursued treatments like cauterization and therapeutic herb bandaging, despite not fully understanding the disease.
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