A historical and palaeopathological perspective on cancer

Francesco M. Galassi, Elena Varotto, Mauro Vaccarezza, Mariano Martini, Veronica Papa

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)
54 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Cancer is often wrongly considered to be a modern disease in many popular medical venues. Cancers have been known to humanity since ancient times. In fact, its antiquity can be iden‑ tified through the application of palaeopathological methodolo‑ gies. The present perspective demonstrates by means of a histori‑ cal and palaeopathological analysis how oncological manifes‑ tations were present long before the emergence of anatomically modern humans and addresses the epidemiological transition from ancient times to the contemporary world. The final section of the article examines breast cancer and its identification in ancient human remains.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)E93-E97
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Preventive Medicine and Hygiene
Volume65
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Apr 2024

Keywords

  • Breast cancer
  • Cancer
  • Epidemiology
  • Global health
  • History of medicine
  • Palaeopathology
  • Public health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'A historical and palaeopathological perspective on cancer'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this