Probable malignancy in a Sadlermiut Eskimo mandible

• Published in: American Journal of Physical Anthropology
• Main Author: Cassidy, Claire M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1977
• Subjects: eskimo*
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330460210; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fajpa.1330460210; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/ajpa.1330460210

Abstract The mandible of a Sadlermiut Eskimo woman, age at death 28 to 30 years, displays numerous well‐formed foramina concentrated bilaterally around the mental foramina. Differential diagnosis identifies this lesion with highest probability as a metastatic cancerous lesion; of less likelihood are sarcoma, hyperparathyroidism, hemangioma, and osteomyelitis. The specimen deserves attention because identification of malignancy in paleopathological material is uncommon and difficult, and because malignancies in aboriginal Eskimo populations are reputed to have been rare or absent.