Researchers in Barcelona have found the first ancient remains of a calcified ovarian teratoma containing four teeth and a small piece of bone, in the pelvis of a skeleton of a woman from the Roman era.1

Macroscopic view of the ovarian teratoma, with two teeth adhering to the inner surface

Teratomas are usually benign and contain remains of organic material such as hair, teeth, bones and other tissues. The find by the researchers from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona confirms the presence in antiquity of this type of tumour.

The tumour was found in the right hand part of the pelvis of a woman of between 30 and 40 years of age and who lived around 1,600 years ago. Her skeleton was recovered with 86 others in a Roman cemetery in the archaeological site of La Fogonussa, Lleida, in North-Eastern Spain. The woman's skeleton was complete and well-preserved, buried in a tile grave.

Teratomas are asymptomatic in 60% of cases. In the case of the Roman woman, the researchers do not discount the possibility that the tumour caused her death. It is also possible that she lived all her life with the calcified tumour with no further complications.