Ancient Egyptians might have attempted to treat cancer through surgery more than 4,000 years ago, according to a recent study.

The discoveries were detailed in the May issue of Frontiers in Medicine, adding to our growing understanding of how one of history's most significant civilizations approached diseases, including the deadly cancer.

Researchers have long been aware that ancient Egyptian medicine was more advanced than that of many other ancient cultures. References to physicians from that period note common practices such as bone setting and dental fillings.

The Significance of This Discovery

Until now, it was unclear to what extent ancient Egyptian doctors attempted to understand and treat brain cancer. The new research reveals physical evidence on skulls from that era showing invasive procedures performed for brain tumours, indicating efforts to understand what we now call cancer. This could be the first known instance of surgical treatment for cancer in ancient Egypt.

“Our study shows, by examining human bones with cancerous lesions, that they conducted oncological surgeries,” said Edgard Camaros, lead author and a palaeopathologist at the University of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. “We cannot ascertain if this was an attempted surgical treatment or a medical exploratory autopsy, but it was undoubtedly an oncological operation.”

Tatiana Tondini from the University of Tubingen in Germany and Albert Isidro from the University Hospital Sagrat Cor in Spain also contributed to the study.

Discovery of Surgical Evidence

Two ancient skulls provided evidence of both general head injury treatments and specific surgeries for cancer in ancient Egypt. Initially found in Egypt in the mid-1800s, these skulls are now housed in the University of Cambridge’s Duckworth Laboratory.

Using advanced technologies like microscopic analysis and computed tomography (CT) imaging, scientists discovered surgical marks in late 2022. One skull, dating from 2687 BC to 2345 BC, likely belonged to a man aged 30 to 35. It showed a large lesion and about 30 smaller ones, with cut marks around them, suggesting the use of sharp metal implements.

“We aimed to understand the prevalence of cancer in antiquity and how ancient societies dealt with it,” Tondini said. “The cut marks we observed under the microscope were astonishing.”

The second skull, dating from 664 BC to 343 BC, possibly belonged to a woman over 50. Though it also had cancerous lesions, there were no visible signs of surgical attempts. However, it had scars from healed fractures, indicating severe trauma, suggesting some form of medical treatment.

Insights into Ancient Egyptian Medicine

The ancient Egyptians attributed diseases to divine punishment but were skilled in medical care, treating wounds with fresh meat, honey, lint, and various herbs. Specialized physicians were common.

Cancer, although not well understood, was likely more common than previously thought, as recent findings have shown. “Cancer is not just a modern affliction; it’s as ancient as multicellular life itself,” said Camaros. “Humans have experienced oncological conditions since prehistoric times.”

Early instances of cancer were documented in the Edwin Smith Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian medical text. Though it didn't use the term “cancer,” it described “untreatable grave diseases” that are believed to be cancer. Ancient physicians diagnosed cancer by examining swellings and classified them by their characteristics. Treatments included cauterisation and therapeutic bandaging, according to the papyrus.