Case of metastatic carcinoma from end of the 8th-Early 9th century Slovakia

• Published in: American journal of physical anthropology 2001-11, Vol.116 (3), p.216-229
• Main Authors: Šefčáková, Alena, Strouhal, Eugen, Němečková, Alena, Thurzo, Milan, Staššíková-Štukovská, Danica
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anthropology, Physical; Bone Neoplasms - secondary; cancer; Carcinoma - secondary; Central Europe; Demography; early Middle Ages; Female; Human paleontology; Humans; LSCM; Male; Mankind origin and evolution; Methodology and general studies; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Metastasis; paleopathology; Prehistory and protohistory; SEM; Skeleton; Slavonic culture; Slovakia; X-rays
• ISSN: 0002-9483; 1096-8644
• DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.1117

The first case of metastatic carcinoma ever detected in Slovakia comes from a Slavonic cemetery at Borovce, in the district of Piešt'any, which is dated from the end of the 8th to the middle of the 12th century AD. The disease afflicted a 50–60‐year‐old male, buried in a grave from the older phase of inhumation (8th–early 9th century AD). A number of osteolytic metastases were found in all bones of the skull and postcranial skeleton except for the forearms, hands, lower legs, and feet. They were studied macroscopically by standard X‐rays, and by scanning electron microscopy and laser scanning confocal microscopy. Analogous finds from Central European countries were also obtained. They are discussed in relation to their chronology, which shows a tendency of increasing occurrence culminating in the Middle Ages. Some demographic and paleopathological characteristics of the burials in the Borovce cemetery are also provided. Am J Phys Anthropol 116:216–229, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.