A Multidisciplinarian Case-Study Of Prostatic(Questionable) Carcinoma From Medieval Canterbury

An elderly male skeleton from mediaeval Canterbury displayed evidence of advanced degenerative joint disease and metastatic carcinoma, with a probable prostatic focus. The dry bone and radiological evidence is supported by scanning electron microscopy. The lesions are similar to a previously reported case from the same cemetery. As far as we are aware, no other examples of prostatic carcinoma are known in British archaeological material. In clinical practice, blood group and testosterone level appear to influence the development of prostate cancer. It is suggested that the true prevalence of metastatic lesions, in dry bone material, will only be identified by careful multidisciplinarian examination.