Pharaoh Hatshepsut died in pain due to cancer
Queen Hatshepsut, Egypt's greatest female Pharaoh died in pain probably due to caner that spread to her pelvic bones, a new study by researchers has revealed...
Preliminary examination of the 3,000-year-old mummy has now revealed that Hatshepsut was obese, had decayed teeth and possibly suffered from a skin disease.
'Her mouth shows the presence of many dental cavities, periapical (root) inflammation and pockets,' said Ashraf Selim, radiologist at Cairo University, who examined the mummy.
The mummy also showed signs of a rather disgusting skin disease on the face and neck, which, Selim believes, might have added to Hatshepsut's health problems.
'We found numerous tiny spots within Hatshepsut and the Tuthmoside family, which could indicate a skin disease,' said Selim.
He, however, believes that the spots were more likely caused by the mummification process than dermatosis...
One thing, however, researchers say with certainty, is that Hatshepsut had cancer: cancer that had metastasized.
'The type of cancer we discovered is affecting the pelvic bone, specifically the left iliac bone. From its location, character and the few tiny foci of bone rarefaction in the spine, we concluded that this tumour is a metastatic deposit rather than a primary tumour,' said Selim.
Though Selim doesn't rule out bone cancer, he believes it was more likely another kind of tumour that spread to the bone.
'It could have been a tumour affecting the lung, breast or kidney. Whatever the tumour's origins, it is very likely that Queen Hatshepsut spent her last days in pain,' Selim said...
Pharaoh Hatshepsut died in pain due to cancer, New Kerala, India, July 03, 2007.
Pharaoh Hatshepsut Died in Pain
Obesity and poor oral hygiene suggested to Selim and colleagues that she might have suffered from diabetes.
But, Selim said, "Surely this is just a theory based on this circumstantial evidence, which we cannot confirm..."
cf. Pharaoh Hatshepsut Died in Pain, Rossella Lorenzi, Discovery Channel, USA, July 02, 2007.
