Mysterious ‘pregnant’ Egyptian mummy reveals woman may have also had cancer

Findings may shed more light on how cancer has affected people over the ages

An ancient Egyptian woman, believed to be the first-ever known case of an embalmed pregnant mummy, may have died of cancer, scientists say.

The mummy – discovered at the beginning of the 19th century in Thebes and donated to the University of Warsaw in Poland in 1826 – was X-rayed and CT scanned as part of a study, researchers said in a blog post.

Analysis of the data from the radiological examination showed changes in the craniofacial bones, “corresponding with similar to observed as activity of nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC),” which originates in an area of ​​the nose and throat, they added.