1. Osteosarcomain Paleopathology
Joanna K. Suckling
Anth5374 Paleopathology
April 20, 2011

2. Outline
What is cancer?
History
What is osteosarcoma?
Diagnosis
Why look for osteosarcoma in the archaeological record?
Conclusions
3. What is Cancer?
The uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the body.
Normal cells Grow, divide, and die.
Cancer cells Grow and divide.
Develop because of damage to DNA
4. What is Cancer?
Metastasis
When cancer cells travels to other parts of the body, grow, and replace normal tissue.
Primary bone cancer
When cancer starts in the bone.
5. 6. 7. Cancer in Antiquity
Greeks first to identify cancer
Hippocrates Father of Medicine
Descriptions of disease that may be cancer exist in several cultures (Egypt, Peru, etc.)
Little understanding until the past 200 years
8. Ancient Treatments
Egypt
Papyrus Ebers describe spells and fumigation to prevent eating of body tissues
Greece
Surgical treatments
Topical treatments
9. History
Campbell Greig De Morgan (1811-1876)
Idea that cancer spreads from a tumor to other parts of the body (1871-1874)
Theodor Boveri (1862-1915)
Proposed genetic basis of cancer (1902)
Marie Curie (1867-1934)
First non-surgical treatment for cancer (~1910)
10. What causes cancer?
Genetics
Environment
Radiation
Viruses
Chemicals and toxins
Anything that can damage DNA!
11. What is osteosarcoma?
One of the most common malignant neoplasms of bone
But one of the more uncommon types of cancer
~1500 reported each year in the US
Sometimes known as osteogenic sarcoma
40-60% of primary malignant tumors in bone are osteosarcoma
7% of adolescent cancers
19% of all tumors in bone
12. What is osteosarcoma?
Develops from the metaphyseal growth plate and extends into the bone cortex
Usually starts in osteoblasts
13. What is osteosarcoma?
Usually affects juvenile individuals (< 20)
Occurs during growth periods
Males more often affected
14. Other Risk Factors
Radiation therapy
Medications
Genetics
Pagets disease
15. 16. Diagnosis
Production of osteoid
Osteoblast-like tumor cells
Sunburst
Codmans Triangle
Swelling over a bone
Pain
Pathological fracture
17. Differential Diagnosis
18. Modern Treatment
Four standard options:
Surgery
Chemotherapy
Radiation therapy
Samarium
19. Modern Case Study
17 year old male
Growing mass on the leg
Pain

X-ray and biopsy confirm osteosarcoma