2006-06-14 06:28:52 · 12 answers · asked by qwirty408 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Cancer
yes, we can tell that they were subject to certain types of bone cancer.
2006-06-14 06:31:41 · answer #1 · answered by desperatehw 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Ancient peoples suffered from many of the ailments that we have today. The difference is that today, many of these diseases can be treated...back then, if you got ill, you died (hence the reason that many people died before the age of 40). In fact, there are writing from Hippocrates that mention Cancer. The very word for cancer is taken from the Greek word, "carcinoma" (or "crab")
So, to answer your question, yes, cavemen could've had cancer and cancer is not a modern disease. It's been around for millenia and at the current rate of research, it could very well be around for decades more.
2006-06-14 06:38:10 · answer #2 · answered by Queen S 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Evidence of cancer has been found in the fossilised remains of dinosaurs, so there's no reason to think that cavemen didn't also get cancer.
Oddly, the only animals that don't get cancer at all are sharks and rays (the cartilaginous fishes). Science still can't explain exactly why they don't seem to suffer from the cancers that plague every other vertebrate group, but when an explanation is found we'll be one step closer to finding a real cure for it.
2006-06-14 06:35:14 · answer #3 · answered by Toutatis 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Modern Disease
2006-06-14 06:30:37 · answer #4 · answered by Sam M 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Cancer can simply occur from a gene mutation when cells divide, so this is possible at any time in history when people existed on earth. In addition, in these times people were likely unaware of any carcinogens (cancer-causing substances), so they would likely get exposed to them without realizing they were dangerous.
Also, since they were far less advanced scientifically than we are today, they had no way of being able to diagnose cancer if they had it.
Although we are more prone to cancer today due to carcinogens that didn't even exist before cavemen times, I don't see any reason how it could entirely be avoided. So my best answer is yes, cavemen (and women) did get cancer.
2006-06-14 06:39:23 · answer #5 · answered by whabtbob 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd bet money they did. They probably just didn't call it cancer. I just survived cancer and am one year free last April. I was told that there is a genetic predisposition toward it. So I'm guessing that because it had to start somewhere, cavemen had it too.
kathi
www.godseer.com
2006-06-14 06:33:39 · answer #6 · answered by K C 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd have to say that yes the did get cancer. But not as much as today. Of course, their life span was a lot shorter but some cancers are known to be hereditary. So they had to start somewhere. We get more cancers nowadays because of all the pollution, etc. All those chemicals are doing nasty things to us.
2006-06-14 06:37:44 · answer #7 · answered by Garfield 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i think it's a modern disease, when cavemen lived they didn't had genetic modified food, industry (and pollution), well you know what i mean
2006-06-14 06:33:28 · answer #8 · answered by sorryna 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They had it they just called it some thing different. Back in the beginning of America on of the states men had it in the mouth (chewing tobacco) and their cure for it was to rap it with wool and mint.
2006-06-14 10:36:14 · answer #9 · answered by caitie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there really is no way to know if they did or not, but I would guess most of them didn't live long enough to get it... lol... humans are born with cancer cells in their bodies... it is only a matter of time if you live long enough that one type or another would develop in you ... unless you get hit by a car... or develop a different illness first... either way... none of us get out of life alive...lol...
2006-06-14 06:33:19 · answer #10 · answered by Ms Fortune 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋