Cancer evidence in Neanderthal fossil

According to a fossil study, a Neanderthal living 120,000 years ago had a cancer that is common today.

A fossilized Neanderthal rib found in a shallow cave at Krapina, Croatia, shows signs of a bone tumor.

The discovery is the oldest evidence yet of a tumor in the human fossil record, say US scientists.

The research, published in the journal PLOS One, gives clues to the complex history of cancer in humans.

Until now, the earliest known bone cancers have been identified in ancient Egyptian remains from about 1,000-4,000 years ago.

“It’s the oldest tumor found in the human fossil record,” said Dr. David Frayer, the University of Kansas anthropologist who led the US team.

“It shows that living in a relatively unpolluted environment doesn’t necessarily protect you against cancer, even if you were a Neanderthal living 120,000 years ago.”

The fossil was uncovered from an important archaeological site that has yielded almost 900 ancient human bones, along with stone tools.

The cancerous rib is an incomplete specimen, so the overall health impact of the tumor on the individual cannot be established.

The tumor was diagnosed by a medical radiologist from X-rays and CT scans.

Although efforts to extract ancient DNA from the Neanderthal fossil have proved unsuccessful, the researchers hope other fossils may shed light on cancer in prehistoric humans.