New Evidence Shows Ancient Egyptians Tried to Treat Cancer with Surgery

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The ancient Egyptians demonstrated remarkable medical sophistication, yet cancer remained a significant challenge, as it still does today. New evidence from two skulls in the University of Cambridge's Duckworth Collection reveals that the Egyptians attempted to treat cancer.

Skull number 236, belonging to a man from between 2687 and 2345 BCE, showed around 30 lesions indicative of metastasized carcinoma. Notably, cut marks around the lesions suggest that an ancient surgeon tried to remove the cancerous tissue, indicating an early form of surgical intervention related to cancer.

Skull number E270 belonged to a woman who lived between 663 and 343 BCE and was over 50 at her death. Her skull featured a large lesion, possibly from osteosarcoma or meningioma, with no apparent signs of treatment. However, her skull also bore healed injuries from sharp and blunt-force trauma, suggesting she survived significant violence, possibly indicating involvement in warfare, which challenges traditional views of women's roles in ancient conflicts.

While the exact causes of death for these individuals remain uncertain, the presence of advanced cancer suggests a significant impact on their mortality. The findings highlight that despite their medical knowledge, ancient Egyptians struggled with cancer, a frontier of medical knowledge they had yet to conquer.