The world's oldest known cases of breast cancer and multiple myeloma have been discovered in the remains of mummies in the pharaonic necropolis of Qubbet el-Hawa in the Egyptian city of Aswan.
The discoveries were made by conducting CT scans of two mummies found there.
Researchers led by Professor Miguel Cecilio Botella López, of the University of Granada, conducted CT (computed tomography) scans of the bones at the Radiodiagnosis Service of Aswan University Hospital and have since produced detailed analysis of their findings.
The scanner can perform 124 tomographic slices simultaneously.
Traditional methods of analyzing mummies result in significant loss of mummy wrapping and partial destruction of dressing and body.
Tomography scanning techniques are also more precise at finding information about mummies' insides and capturing tiny details in the dressing and about the embalming techniques used.
Examining the bones of the cancer sufferers, wrapped in bandages, the research team, which included scientists from the University of Jaén and Granada's “Campus de la Salud” Hospital, established that the female mummy died of breast cancer in around 2000 B.C. The man with multiple myeloma - a type of bone marrow cancer - died around 200 years later.
It's the first time traces of disease have been found in mummies from the Late Period.
The findings also show the individuals were wealthy members of the governing Egyptian families of Elephantine and that the society had the resources to support them throughout their illness at a time when no treatment was available.
REUTERS
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