A 19TH-CENTURY CASE OF CARCINOMA OF THE PROSTATE, WITH A NOTE ON THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE DISEASE

A case of prostatic carcinoma is described in the skeleton of a named individual who died in 1834. The tumour was recognized from widespread periosteal new bone throughout the skeleton and by the presence of sc lerosing metastases in many bones, including the pelvis and all the ve rtebrae. A number of features of the disease present here are said to be uncommon in modern patients, including spiculated periosteal new bo ne and some degree of spinal stenosis. In two previous cases of prosta tic carcinoma described in the literature, periosteal new bone was a p rominent feature and was probably responsible for the disease being re cognized. It is likely that ii skeletons from mature males were routin ely X-rayed, considerably more cases would be noted and a more accurat e estimate of the prevalence of this disease in the past would thus be ascertained. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.