Earliest hominin cancer: 1.7-million-year- old osteosarcoma from Swartkrans Cave, South Africa
Date
2016-07
Authors
Odes, E.J.
Randolph-Quinney, P.S.
Steyn, M.
Thockmorton, Z.
Smilg, J.S.
Zipfel, B.
Augustine, T.N.
de Beer, F.
Hoffman, J.W.
Franklin, R.D.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)
Abstract
The reported incidence of neoplasia in the extinct human lineage is rare, with only a few confirmed
cases of Middle or Later Pleistocene dates reported. It has generally been assumed that premodern
incidence of neoplastic disease of any kind is rare and limited to benign conditions,
but new fossil evidence suggests otherwise. We here present the earliest identifiable case of
malignant neoplastic disease from an early human ancestor dated to 1.8–1.6 million years old.
The diagnosis has been made possible only by advances in 3D imaging methods as diagnostic
aids. We present a case report based on re-analysis of a hominin metatarsal specimen (SK 7923)
from the cave site of Swartkrans in the Cradle of Humankind, South Africa. The expression
of malignant osteosarcoma in the Swartkrans specimen indicates that whilst the upsurge in
malignancy incidence is correlated with modern lifestyles, there is no reason to suspect that
primary bone tumours would have been any less frequent in ancient specimens. Such tumours
are not related to lifestyle and often occur in younger individuals. As such, malignancy has a
considerable antiquity in the fossil record, as evidenced by this specimen.
Description
Keywords
palaeopathology, oncology, metatarsal, malignant neoplasia, micro-computed tomography, OSTEOBLASTOMA, TUMORS, STATISTICS, ANTIQUITY, SARCOMA, BONE, SITE
Citation
Odes, E.J. et al. 2016. Earliest hominin cancer: 1.7-million-year- old osteosarcoma from Swartkrans Cave, South Africa. South African Journal of Science 112 (7/8): Article number 2015-0471