World's First Known Pregnant Mummy From 1st Century BCE Likely Had Cancer, Researchers Claim

The world's first known pregnant mummy from ancient Egypt may have another hidden twist that scientists recently discovered. Researchers with the Warsaw Mummy Project in Poland noticed some deformities in the mummy's skull, suggesting a tumor behind the left eye.

They are now conducting additional tests to confirm whether the tumor was cancerous. The pregnant mummy was dubbed the "Mysterious Lady," which likely came from the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, now Luxor, and dates back to the first century BCE.

Mysterious Lady's Secret

Science Times previously reported that the pregnant mummy was a case of mistaken identity because it was found sealed in the sarcophagus of a male priest. But X-rays and CT scans reveal that it was a corpse of a pregnant woman who was in her 28 weeks of pregnancy and likely in her 20s when she died.

Now, similar researchers announced in their blog post that the Mysterious Lady likely had nasopharynx cancer after finding deformities in the mummy's skull. However, these findings are not yet peer-reviewed or confirmed, so more tests are needed.

They became first aware of potential cancer after a recent 3D reconstruction of the skull that showed a 0.27-inch hole behind the mummy's left eye socket. Marzena Ożarek-Szilke, an archaeologist and anthropologist at the Medical University of Warsaw, told Live Science that the unusual gap indicates that there was a tumor or lesion before that forced the surrounding bone away from the socket.

On the other hand, scientists also offered another alternative reason for the gap. They said that it could also be caused by a cyst due to a condition called cribra orbitalia, which is caused by anemia. But since they also found additional deformities in the skull's nasal cavity, jaw, and sinuses, they are more convinced that it is most likely caused by cancer.

Usually, deformities of such an old skull will be impossible to determine. But since the pregnant mummy was so well-preserved, traces of soft tissues in her bones remain. The soft tissues allowed researchers to conduct histopathology tests used in diagnosing cancer today.

Mystery Lady's Fetus Essentially "Pickled"

In January, scientists with the Warsaw Mummy Project reported in their study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science that the fetus of the world's first known pregnant mummy was preserved from combined effects of decomposition and mummification that made it essentially "pickled."

They explained in a blog post that the blood pH levels of the corpse dropped significantly over time, which exposed the fetus to the acidic uterine environment that dissolved its bones. Added with the mummification that kept the mother's bones from dissolving, it preserved the soft tissue of the fetus inside the womb.

According to Smithsonian Magazine, it is a similar process of naturally preserving the famed "bog bodies" of Europe. The preserved skin shrank due to high acidity and low-oxygen environments that also dissolved skeletons.

Researchers likened the process of bone demineralization to soaking an egg in vinegar, wherein the shell dissolves and leaves the egg's inside intact in a springy ball-like state.

Until now, the team could not figure out why the people who mummified the woman left the fetus in her body but removed her internal organs. They think the fetus may have been retained for religious reasons. But whatever the reason is, their discovery led to the conclusion that there might be other pregnant mummies that were not discovered yet.

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