Station 9 -- Tumor

• Cancerous Lesion from Egypt (#CS032)

• Approximately the left half of the maxilla from what has been called a cancerous “mouse tumor” by various researchers. Teeth # 2, 6-8 are present, but otherwise the cranium is in excellent condition.

STATION 2 Cribra Orbitalia & Porotic Hyperostosis REVISITED

• Diseases due to metabolic or dietary deficiencies or imbalances (e.g., iron deficiency anemia, scurvy, and rickets) affect bone biology and bone maintenance. With anemia, expansion of the diploe (bone marrow space between the cortical bone of the skull) due to increased red blood cell production is the root cause for the proliferation of osteoblast activity. The child’s cranium (CS015) has a good example of cribra orbitalia, the term for the condition occurring in the superior portion of eye orbits. Porotic (= spongy) hyperostosis is a more general term—and its “hair-on-end” appearance is quite evident with this adult female skull.

• (Using the chart as a guide), how old do you think the child is? Are his/her lesions “active” or “healed” ?

• With the adult female, are her lesions “active” or “healed” ? Check out the eye orbits…