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Paleo-Oncology and Mummies

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The Handbook of Mummy Studies

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Abstract

Paleo-oncology is a relatively new branch of paleopathology aimed at identifying pathognomonic cancer lesions in ancient human remains while trying to reconstruct its incidence in the history of humankind. Besides the mere identification of cancer types, the central question concerns the prevalence of malignant tumors in different time periods, different populations, and the identification of factors influencing carcinogenesis.

Malignant lesions in paleopathology specimens are rare and only five have been identified in mummified remains so far. Currently, the epidemiological data suggest that, in historic populations, shorter life expectancies may have played a major role in determining lower cancer rates. However, thanks to the growing number of radiological investigations (e.g., Multidetector Computed Tomography- MDCT), more ancient cases of malignant tumors can be diagnosed in the years to come, thus modifying the actual paleo-epidemiological data. To achieve this, modern imaging, genetic analysis, and molecular biology techniques will be pivotal in the investigation of both mummies and skeletonized remains in order to find evidence of malignant lesions.

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Acknowledgments

We are indebted to Professor Simon T. Donell who generously proofread and edited this chapter.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Pathology, Academic Hospital Munich-Bogenhausen, Munich, Germany

    Andreas G. Nerlich

  2. New Mexico Health Enhancement and Marathon Clinics Research Foundation, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Raffaella Bianucci

  3. Warwick Medical School, Biomedical Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK

    Raffaella Bianucci

  4. Legal Medicine Section, Department of Public Health and Paediatric Sciences, University of Turin, Torino, Italy

    Raffaella Bianucci

Authors
  1. Andreas G. Nerlich
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  2. Raffaella Bianucci
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Andreas G. Nerlich .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Bioanthropology, Paleopathology and History of Diseases, Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Institute of Forensic and Anthropological Science, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea (Republic of)

    Dong Hoon Shin

  2. New Mexico Health Enhancement and Marathon Clinics Research Foundation, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Raffaella Bianucci

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Nerlich, A.G., Bianucci, R. (2021). Paleo-Oncology and Mummies. In: Shin, D.H., Bianucci, R. (eds) The Handbook of Mummy Studies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3354-9_38

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