• About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact
No Result
View All Result
Archaeology News
  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum
Archaeology News
No Result
View All Result
Home News Anthropology

Ancient Egyptian doctors tried to treat cancer 4,000 years ago

by Dario Radley
May 29, 2024

In a recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine, researchers have unveiled evidence suggesting that ancient Egyptians, more than 4,000 years ago, may have attempted to treat cancer through surgical interventions.

Ancient Egyptian doctors tried to treat cancer 4,000 years ago
Skull E270: Frontal position showing the three lesions, right lateral view; and detail of the neoplastic lesion identified. Credit: Tatiana Tondini et al. Frontiers in Medicine (2024)

The study, led by an international team of researchers, focused on two skulls dating back to ancient Egypt. One skull, belonging to a male aged 30 to 35, showed evidence of a large primary tumor and over 30 smaller metastatic lesions.

Microscopic analysis revealed cut marks around these lesions, indicating attempts at surgical intervention. This finding suggests that ancient Egyptians may have sought to remove cancerous growths, pushing back the timeline of surgical cancer treatment by millennia.

“This is where modern medicine starts,” remarked Edgard Camarós Perez, a paleopathologist involved in the study. The discovery challenges the notion that cancer was solely a disease of the modern age. It highlights the sophistication of ancient Egyptian medicine, which encompassed not only herbal remedies but also surgical practices.

Ancient Egyptian doctors tried to treat cancer 4,000 years ago
Skull 236: Frontal view; inferior view, left and right lateral view and mandible. Credit: Tatiana Tondini et al. Frontiers in Medicine (2024)

The researchers also examined the skull of a woman who lived between 664 and 343 BCE and was 50 years old at the time of her death. This skull, housed within the University of Cambridge’s Duckworth Collection, exhibited signs of cancerous tumors, along with evidence of successful treatment for traumatic injuries. This suggests that while ancient Egyptians were capable of treating certain conditions, they faced challenges in combating cancer.

RelatedStories

Rural rituals and astral burials shaped ancient Egyptian religion and the myths of Isis and Osiris

Rural rituals and astral burials shaped ancient Egyptian religion and the myths of Isis and Osiris

July 15, 2025
Mad emperor Caligula had surprising medical knowledge, new research reveals from ancient Roman texts

Mad emperor Caligula had surprising medical knowledge, new research reveals from ancient Roman texts

July 13, 2025

The presence of perimortem cut marks around the cancerous lesions raises questions about whether the surgeries were performed while the patients were alive or as part of postmortem examinations.

Ancient Egyptian doctors tried to treat cancer 4,000 years ago
Images of the cut marks close to the two lesions taken with the HIROX Microscope. Credit: Tatiana Tondini et al. Frontiers in Medicine (2024)

Dr. Ibrahem Badr, an associate professor specializing in ancient Egyptian medicine, noted that while ancient Egyptian medicine was extensively documented, modern technologies are uncovering new insights into its practices.

The research adds a chapter to the “obscure biography” of cancer. By utilizing modern methodologies, such as micro-CT scanning and microscopic analysis, the researchers hope to gain a more comprehensive understanding of ancient Egyptian medicine.

More information: Tondini T, Isidro A and Camarós E (2024) Case report: Boundaries of oncological and traumatological medical care in ancient Egypt: new palaeopathological insights from two human skulls. Front. Med. 11:1371645. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1371645
Share1Tweet1ShareShareSend

You May Also Like...

Antikythera shipwreck reveals ancient shipbuilding secrets in 2025 excavation
Archaeology

Antikythera shipwreck reveals ancient shipbuilding secrets in 2025 excavation

July 15, 2025
Rural rituals and astral burials shaped ancient Egyptian religion and the myths of Isis and Osiris
Anthropology

Rural rituals and astral burials shaped ancient Egyptian religion and the myths of Isis and Osiris

July 15, 2025
4,500-year-old dog tooth–adorned bags unearthed in Germany reveal burial practices of Neolithic elites
Anthropology

4,500-year-old dog tooth–adorned bags unearthed in Germany reveal burial practices of Neolithic elites

July 14, 2025
Mad emperor Caligula had surprising medical knowledge, new research reveals from ancient Roman texts
Archaeology

Mad emperor Caligula had surprising medical knowledge, new research reveals from ancient Roman texts

July 13, 2025
1,600-year-old tomb of Caracol’s founding king Te K’ab Chaak unearthed in Belize jungle
Anthropology

1,600-year-old tomb of Caracol’s founding king Te K’ab Chaak unearthed in Belize jungle

July 12, 2025
11,000-year-old feast in Iran’s Zagros Mountains reveals long-distance animal transport and early Neolithic social rituals
Archaeology

11,000-year-old feast in Iran’s Zagros Mountains reveals long-distance animal transport and early Neolithic social rituals

July 12, 2025

Follow us


Instagram
246K

Facebook
111K

Threads
43K

LinkedIn
12K

Twitter
6K

YouTube
1K
  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Shipwreck Salvage. Credit: rawpixel.com / Public Domain

2,000-year-old shipwreck discovered off Turkish coast with remarkably preserved stacked ceramics

July 2, 2025
Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

Viking age DNA reveals 9,000-year-old HIV-resistant gene originating near the Black Sea

May 18, 2025
Mad emperor Caligula had surprising medical knowledge, new research reveals from ancient Roman texts

Mad emperor Caligula had surprising medical knowledge, new research reveals from ancient Roman texts

July 13, 2025
Neanderthals operated prehistoric “fat factory” 125,000 years ago on German lakeshore, study finds

Neanderthals operated prehistoric “fat factory” 125,000 years ago on German lakeshore

July 3, 2025
Exceptionally large Roman shoes discovered at Magna fort near Hadrian’s Wall

Exceptionally large Roman shoes discovered at Magna fort near Hadrian’s Wall

July 3, 2025
$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

$1 million prize offered to decipher 5,300-year-old Indus Valley script

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

Oldest ever genetic data from a human relative found in 2-million-year-old fossilized teeth

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius' eruption

A 21-year-old student successfully deciphered the first word from the Herculaneum scrolls, charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption

Exceptionally large Roman shoes discovered at Magna fort near Hadrian’s Wall

Exceptionally large Roman shoes discovered at Magna fort near Hadrian’s Wall

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

New evidence reveals the source of mercury in the mausoleum of the first Qin emperor

Antikythera shipwreck reveals ancient shipbuilding secrets in 2025 excavation

Antikythera shipwreck reveals ancient shipbuilding secrets in 2025 excavation

July 15, 2025
Rural rituals and astral burials shaped ancient Egyptian religion and the myths of Isis and Osiris

Rural rituals and astral burials shaped ancient Egyptian religion and the myths of Isis and Osiris

July 15, 2025
4,500-year-old dog tooth–adorned bags unearthed in Germany reveal burial practices of Neolithic elites

4,500-year-old dog tooth–adorned bags unearthed in Germany reveal burial practices of Neolithic elites

July 14, 2025
Castillian ambassadors attempting to convince Almohad king Abu Hafs Umar al-Murtada to join their alliance. Contemporary depiction from The Cantigas de Santa Maria. Public Domain

Zīrid Ifrīqiya and the Islamic world in the 10th–12th centuries: an international conference at UCL

July 14, 2025
Mad emperor Caligula had surprising medical knowledge, new research reveals from ancient Roman texts

Mad emperor Caligula had surprising medical knowledge, new research reveals from ancient Roman texts

July 13, 2025

Archaeology News online magazine

Archaeology News is an international online magazine that covers all aspects of archaeology.











Categories

  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • Download
  • Game
  • News
    • Anthropology
    • Archaeology
    • Paleontology
  • Quiz
  • Tours

Subscribe to our newsletter

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved.

  • About
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Donation
  • Contact

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

  • Home
  • News
    • Archaeology
    • Anthropology
    • Paleontology
  • Academics
    • Books
    • Conferences
    • Universities
  • Articles
  • VR Tours
  • Quiz & Game
  • Download
  • Encyclopedia
  • Forum

About  .  Contact  .  Donation

© 2024 - Archaeology News Online Magazine. All Rights Reserved

We use cookies to improve your experience and enable functionality and security of this site. Further detail is available in our Privacy Policy. By accepting all cookies, you consent to our use of cookies and use of data.