Cancer was very uncommon among even our recent ancestors, reinforcing the concept that it is a 'modern' disease and is largely a consequence of our longer lives, a major meeting on cancer research has been told.
A team of Croatian scientists analysed the skeletal remains of 3,160 individuals. The remains dated from 5300BC to the 19th century AD and had been collected from archaeological sites across Croatia. The scientists were looking for evidence of neoplasms - new and abnormal growths of tissue, which can be benign or cancerous. However very little such evidence was found.
Furthermore they found no evidence of secondary bone tumours in any individuals in the collection, a factor that is probably explained by the fact that the average age-at-death of the specimens was 35 years.
"Primary and benign tumours of bone were relatively rare, even in young individuals where the incidence of these neoplasms is highest, whilst secondary tumours of bone, although much more common, are associated with older age", said Dr Mario Slaus of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
According to Dr Slaus, life expectancy in the 21st century is higher then it has ever been in the past, due to factors such as better nutrition, better sanitation and more accessible healthcare. However increased longevity has also been accompanied by an increased incidence of cancer.
The factors most clearly linked with cancer are smoking, which is estimated to cause 30% of all cancer deaths and obesity/dietary factors, also estimated to cause 30% of cancer deaths. However these factors often take many years to lead to the development of cancer, so ageing populations naturally show a higher incidence of the disease.
"The individuals in the skeletal collection would have been prone to diseases such as syphilis, TB and leprosy. The change from these 'old' illnesses to 'modern' ones such as cancer can be seen as part of the evolution of our society", Dr Slaus said.
However as with these 'old' illnesses, we can attempt to combat the 'modern' illness of cancer through educating people about the risks of the disease and encouraging them to adopt a healthy lifestyle, he added.
A team of Croatian scientists analysed the skeletal remains of 3,160 individuals. The remains dated from 5300BC to the 19th century AD and had been collected from archaeological sites across Croatia. The scientists were looking for evidence of neoplasms - new and abnormal growths of tissue, which can be benign or cancerous. However very little such evidence was found.
Furthermore they found no evidence of secondary bone tumours in any individuals in the collection, a factor that is probably explained by the fact that the average age-at-death of the specimens was 35 years.
"Primary and benign tumours of bone were relatively rare, even in young individuals where the incidence of these neoplasms is highest, whilst secondary tumours of bone, although much more common, are associated with older age", said Dr Mario Slaus of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts.
According to Dr Slaus, life expectancy in the 21st century is higher then it has ever been in the past, due to factors such as better nutrition, better sanitation and more accessible healthcare. However increased longevity has also been accompanied by an increased incidence of cancer.
The factors most clearly linked with cancer are smoking, which is estimated to cause 30% of all cancer deaths and obesity/dietary factors, also estimated to cause 30% of cancer deaths. However these factors often take many years to lead to the development of cancer, so ageing populations naturally show a higher incidence of the disease.
"The individuals in the skeletal collection would have been prone to diseases such as syphilis, TB and leprosy. The change from these 'old' illnesses to 'modern' ones such as cancer can be seen as part of the evolution of our society", Dr Slaus said.
However as with these 'old' illnesses, we can attempt to combat the 'modern' illness of cancer through educating people about the risks of the disease and encouraging them to adopt a healthy lifestyle, he added.
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