In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have uncovered evidence of ancient Egyptians attempting to treat cancer over 4,000 years ago. The finding, based on the examination of two human skulls dating back to ancient Egypt, provides a unique perspective on the medical practices of this ancient civilization.

The study, published recently in Frontiers in Medicine, was conducted by an international team of researchers. Leading the investigation was Prof Edgard Camarós, a paleopathologist at the University of Santiago de Compostela, and Tatiana Tondini, a researcher at the University of Tübingen.

The researchers examined two skulls from the University of Cambridge's Duckworth Collection. The first skull, identified as Skull and mandible 236, belonged to a male individual aged 30 to 35, dating back between 2687 and 2345 BCE. The second skull, Skull E270, belonged to a female individual who was older than 50 years and dated between 663 and 343 BCE.

Upon microscopic analysis and CT scanning, the scientists made a startling discovery. They found cut marks surrounding cancerous growths on both skulls, indicating that ancient Egyptians may have attempted surgical interventions to address the disease. The cut marks, resembling those made by a sharp object such as a metal instrument, provide strong evidence of experimental treatments or medical explorations related to cancer.

Skull 236 showed a large-sized lesion consistent with excessive tissue destruction caused by cancer. Additionally, the researchers found around 30 small and round metastasized lesions scattered across the skull. The observations led the team to conclude that cancer was prevalent in ancient Egyptians, even though their medical expertise was limited when it came to treating the disease.

Skull E270 also revealed a significant cancerous tumor that had led to bone destruction. Interestingly, this skull also showed evidence of two healed lesions from traumatic injuries, potentially indicating that the individual received some treatment and survived. This discovery challenges preconceived notions about the involvement of women in warfare activities during ancient times.

While the researchers acknowledge the limitations of studying fragmented skeletal remains without known clinical history, they believe that this study opens up new avenues for understanding how ancient societies dealt with cancer. Prof Albert Isidro, a surgical oncologist specializing in Egyptology, notes that this research contributes to a changing perspective and encourages further investigations in the field of paleo-oncology.

The findings offer a fresh understanding of the ancient Egyptian approach to medicine and shed light on their attempts to explore and operate on cancer thousands of years ago. As more studies are conducted, the hope is that they will unravel the mysteries surrounding ancient societies' methods of dealing with this complex disease.

This discovery not only expands our knowledge of ancient medical practices but also pays homage to the ingenuity of the ancient Egyptians, who, despite limited resources, ventured into uncharted territories of experimental cancer treatments.