Oldest Proof of Human Cancer Found on Skeleton in Northern Sudan

An ancient indication of cancer could help the patients of today.

The world's oldest evidence of the deadly disease in humans was discovered by British archaeologists in a 3,000-year-old skeleton last month, a discovery that could help researchers understand the evolution of the condition and how it was contracted in ancient times.

The skeleton's tomb in northern Sudan is further proof of its presence long ago and the only other credible example of human cancer from before the first millennium BC.

"Through taking an evolutionary approach to cancer, information from human remains may prove a vital element in finding ways to address one of the world's major health problems," Michaela Binder, a Ph.D student in the Department of Archaeology at Durham University who found the skeleton, said in a statement. Read more...