Skeletal metastatic carcinomas from the Roman period (1st to 5th Century AD) in Hungary

Malignant tumors affecting the head and neck region in ancient times: Comprehensive study of the CRAB Database

In the modern world, cancer is a growing cause of mortality, but archeological studies have shown that it is not exclusive to modern populations. The aim of this study is to examine the epidemiologic, social, and clinicopathologic features of head and neck cancers in ancient populations. To do this, we extracted all records that described malignant lesions in the head and neck region available in the Cancer Research in Ancient Bodies Database (CRAB). The estimated age, sex, physical condition of the remains (skeletonized, mummified), anatomic location of tumors, geographic location, chronology, tumor type, and methods of tumor diagnosis were collected. One hundred and sixty-seven cases were found, mostly originating from Europe (51.5%). Most records were of adults between 35 and 49 years of age (37.7%). The most involved site was the skullcap (60.4%), and the most common malignancies were metastases to the bone (65.3%) and multiple myeloma (17.4%). No primary soft tissue malignancies were registered. The results of our study indicate that head and neck cancers were present in ancient civilizations, at least since 500,000 BCE. The available data can help to improve the current understanding of the global distribution of head and neck cancer and its multidimensional impacts on populations in the contemporary world.

A Significant Question in Cancer Risk and Therapy: Are Antibiotics Positive or Negative Effectors? Current Answers and Possible Alternatives

Cancer is predominantly considered as an environmental disease caused by genetic or epigenetic alterations induced by exposure to extrinsic (e.g., carcinogens, pollutants, radiation) or intrinsic (e.g., metabolic, immune or genetic deficiencies). Over-exposure to antibiotics, which is favored by unregulated access as well as inappropriate prescriptions by physicians, is known to have led to serious health problems such as the rise of antibiotic resistance, in particular in poorly developed countries. In this review, the attention is focused on evaluating the effects of antibiotic exposure on cancer risk and on the outcome of cancer therapeutic protocols, either directly acting as extrinsic promoters, or indirectly, through interactions with the human gut microbiota. The preponderant evidence derived from information reported over the last 10 years confirms that antibiotic exposure tends to increase cancer risk and, unfortunately, that it reduces the efficacy of various forms of cancer therapy (e.g., chemo-, radio-, and immunotherapy alone or in combination). Alternatives to the current patterns of antibiotic use, such as introducing new antibiotics, bacteriophages or enzybiotics, and implementing dysbiosis-reducing microbiota modulatory strategies in oncology, are discussed. The information is in the end considered from the perspective of the most recent findings on the tumor-specific and intracellular location of the tumor microbiota, and of the most recent theories proposed to explain cancer etiology on the notion of regression of the eukaryotic cells and systems to stages characterized for a lack of coordination among their components of prokaryotic origin, which is promoted by injuries caused by environmental insults.

The appearance of breast cancer metastases on dry bone: Implications for forensic anthropology

Breast carcinoma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in women. The study of bone pathologies presents considerable potential in anthropology, paleopathology, forensic science and medicine. In this paper, we present and discuss metastatic lesions found in the skeletons of known individuals from the CAL Milano Cemetery Skeletal Collection, clinically diagnosed with breast cancer during life. Fourteen skeletons from a contemporary and identified collection were macroscopically studied and metastases were identified by comparison with clinical literature. As a result, bone metastases were observed in 43% of the study sample. They were located most commonly on the ribs (28.1%), pelvic girdle (19.8%), vertebrae (15.6%), skull (15.6%), scapulae (10.2%) as well as proximal segment of the femora (8.4%) and humeri (2.4%) respectively, favoring sites of high vascularization. The majority of the lesions were osteolytic, although osteoblastic and mixed metastases did occur. Osteolytic metastases appear as coalescent porosity or round to oval perforating lesions on bones with denticulated margins and pitted surrounding bone, whereas osteoblastic metastases thickened the existing trabecula (spongiosclerosis). Mixed metastases were perforating lytic lesions exposing the osteoblastic activity in the underlying trabecular bone. These results, consistent with the data from the literature, strengthen the diagnostic criteria for metastases and illustrate the aspect of bone metastases in breast carcinoma.

Extensive periosteal new bone formation in a skeleton from post-Medieval Chichester, England: A probable case of metastatic prostatic carcinoma

An elderly male skeleton from a site in Chichester, UK, was found with a widespread periosteal reaction, principally affecting the axial skeleton and the pelvis. Radiography showed the presence of sclerosing infiltrates, mainly involving the lumbar vertebrae and pelvis. The differential diagnosis is discussed, reaching the conclusion that hypertrophic osteo-arthopathy (HOA) is the only reasonable alternative condition likely to produce such a widespread periosteal reaction as found here. HOA does not produce secondary deposits in the skeleton, however, and we conclude that his is most likely a case of prostatic carcinoma.

Dry bone histology of bone tumours

This article focuses on the application of dry bone histology in the diagnosis of a series of different bone tumours. It provides a short introduction on bone tumour classification and how tumours may affect the skeleton. To illustrate the value of dry bone histology in the diagnostic process we studied the 'fresh' and 'dry' bone histology of a series of well-documented, recent clinical cases of various benign and malignant bone tumours. We show that histology is a valuable instrument to assess bone tissue architecture, which provides information on the biological behaviour of a tumour. Though histology may reveal the specific 'tumorous' bone deposition of high-grade conventional osteosarcomas, all other bone tumours display common, unspecific features. This holds for the following tumours: osteochondroma, hyperostotic meningioma, high-grade angiosarcoma, grade 2 chondrosarcoma, myoepithelial carcinoma, high-grade osteosarcoma and four carcinoma metastases. We conclude that histology is useful in cases where the biological behaviour of a tumour is to be defined, and is particularly an aide in the diagnosis of high-grade conventional osteosarcomas. Nevertheless, the differential diagnosis on the bone tumours in our series should primarily be based on a combination of physical anthropological patient data (age, sex), gross anatomy (e.g. tumour morphology and location), and radiography.

[Lucy's cancer(s): A prehistorical origin?]

OBJECTIVES

The recent discovery of the earliest hominin cancer, a 1.7-million-year-old osteosarcoma from South Africa has raised the question of the origin of cancer and its determinants. We aimed to determine whether malignant and benign tumors exist in the past societies.

METHODS

A review of literature using Medline database and Google about benign and malignant tumors in prehistory and antiquity. Only cases with morphological and paraclinical analysis were included. The following keywords were used: cancer; paleopathology; malignant neoplasia; benign tumor; leiomyoma; myoma; breast cancer; mummies; soft tissue tumor; Antiquity.

RESULTS

Thirty-five articles were found in wich there were 34 malignant tumors, 10 benign tumors and 11 gynecological benign tumors.

CONCLUSIONS

The fact that there were some malignant tumors, even few tumors and probably underdiagnosed, in the past may be evidence that cancer is not only a disease of the modern world. Cancer may be indeed a moving target: we have likely predisposing genes to cancer inherited from our ancestors. The malignant disease could therefore appear because of our modern lifestyle (carcinogens and risk factors related to the modern industrial society).