3,200-year-old skeleton found with cancer

[azulai]

Phys.org: 3,200-year-old skeleton found with cancer

Archaeologists have found the 3,200-year-old skeleton of a man with a spreading form of cancer, the oldest example so far of a disease often associated with modern lifestyles, scientists said Monday.

The remains of a man believed to be aged between 25 and 35 were found last year in a tomb in Sudan on the banks of the River Nile by a student at Durham University in northeast England.

The bones showed evidence of metastatic carcinoma, or a malignant soft-tumour cancer which has spread from the original site to other parts of the body, although it was not possible to say if he died from the disease.

"This may help us to understand the almost unknown history of the disease. We have very few examples pre the first millennium AD," said Michaela Binder, the researcher who found the skeleton.

Small lesions on the bones could only have been caused by a soft tissue cancer although the exact site where the disease originated was impossible to determine, she said.

The cause could have been environmental, for example from carcinogens from wood fire smoke, genetic or from the parasite schistosomiasis, which still causes bladder and breast cancer to this day in the area.

The research team from Durham University and the British Museum said that although cancer is currently one of the world's leading causes of death, it had until now been almost absent from archaeological finds.

Worldwide, there had only been one convincing example of metastatic cancer predating the 1st millennium BC in human remains, and two tentative examples.

This had led to the conclusion among scientists that it is "mainly a product of modern living and increased longevity," they added.

"Insights gained from archaeological human remains like these can really help us to understand the evolution and history of modern diseases."

The skeleton was found in Amara West, 750 kilometres (466 miles) downstream from the Sudanese capital Khartoum.

The man was buried on his back in a painted wooden coffin with a glazed amulet.

[MisterTinkles]

I'm sure plenty of people had cancers back then.

Most of them were probably burned, as to not let the "plague" loose on other populations.

Only the filthy rich were buried, especially if they had a disease like that. Only the rich could afford coffins and proper burials, as well as not get burned for having such a disease.

[southbiochem]

Now, now Tinkles.

Cancer is a bunch of mutated abnormal cells that don't stop multiplying.

It's a bit obvious that oncogenes have been around for long but a lot of external carcinogens today didn't exist back then so the disease now has a greater incidence than it had back then.

Stop bashing on science will you?

[East]

Hmmm...I have been convinced now for many years that keeping your body alkaline vs acid based is the best defense against cancer. I don't think cancer grows as much with an alkaline balanced body.

I wonder if that made any difference? I know we all have cancer cells within us already.

PS...HI azulai! So nice to see you!

[Woollyhats]

I wonder... absolutely there are more carcinogens now...

But many cancers thrive from genetic predispositions, and weak immune systems. Some of the risks are the same through the years.

So I wonder if any cancers should be called 'modern'. Maybe just more frequent. Like I'm sure lung cancer for example is more common now from pollution, but some of our ancestors probably got it.

Regardless, hopefully they cure cancer, and more importantly find a way to make said cure economically feasible, soon. It's absolutely a terrifying, if deceptively simple, disease.

[Cuddly]

Hmmm...I have been convinced now for many years that keeping your body alkaline vs acid based is the best defense against cancer. I don't think cancer grows as much with an alkaline balanced body.

I wonder if that made any difference? I know we all have cancer cells within us already.

PS...HI azulai! So nice to see you!

There's countless proof-reading mechanisms in the duplication af DNA, in cell division and in the immune defense system. Our body is made to take care of those cancercells you mentioned. But yes, mutations constantly occur. Bacterial anti-biotic resistance is another hot topic, which also happens by mutation and it is sped up by overexsposure to said anti-biotics.

[LeafBlade]

3000 years ago... so that's like 1000BC? (i suck at history, help plz)

assuming that there's no carcinogen from manufacturing back then, could it be from the diet or just sunlight radiation that cause the cancer?

Wow~

[Borg69]

3000 years ago... so that's like 1000BC? (i suck at history, help plz)

assuming that there's no carcinogen from manufacturing back then, could it be from the diet or just sunlight radiation that cause the cancer?

Wow~

Consider it the blue screen of death in the DNA software of life. Glitches happen, sometimes without any obvious direct cause.

[Cuddly]

Consider it the blue screen of death in the DNA software of life. Glitches happen, sometimes without any obvious direct cause.

Stuff doesn't just happen >_<
For mutations to occur you need a carcinogenic agent to manipulate the DNA strand, most likely during replication or transcription, as it is more vulnerable in the single-strand state. The molecular structure of the DNA doesn't spontaneously change; nothing does. There is always a reason, because atoms don't appear out of nowhere or vanish into nowhere.

There are countless carcinogenic agents, including everything from bacteria to UV-light. Mutations (read cancer) are not man-made. They've been around since life began.

Oh and #necro