A new study took a closer look at lesions in two Ancient Egyptian skulls, one showing evidence of successful post-traumatic care and the other an attempted removal of brain cancer.
Lesions found in ancient skulls suggest that cancer could have been a medical issue long before our time. Ancient Egyptian skulls studied at the Duckworth Laboratory Collection at the University of Cambridge in the U.K. have shown signs of varying lesions, some believed to be left by malignant tumors.
The evidence indicates that the woman survived, thanks to 'some kind of treatment and degree of post-traumatic care,' the researchers wrote. Skull 236, belonging to a male in his 30s, was shown to have cut marks on the bone surface that suggest a tumor had been removed. While these findings indicate 'medical surgical exploration,' the researchers were unable to identify the timing of the cutting – before or after death.
First study author Tatiana Tondini, a researcher at the University of Tübingen in Germany, discussed the results with Fox News Digital, noting that the most 'remarkable finding' was the discovery of cut marks near 'two secondary cancer lesions' on skull 236. 'They have been confirmed not to be taphonomic damages, and there are two explanations for them,' she said.
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