Researchers at the University of Silesia in Poland examined fossils of a 215 million year old Metoposaurus, a sizable amphibian that roamed the Earth during the Triassic era, and uncovered evidence pointing to a common bone cancer. The findings were published in a study available through BMC Ecology and Evolution, highlighting how ancient life faced ailments that still resonate with modern medicine.
In one vertebra, the scientists noted unusual growth patterns. The bone tissue appeared enlarged, with irregular geometry that stood out from typical vertebral structure. These signs prompted experts to form a cautious hypothesis that Metoposaurus may have suffered from a bone disease that affected its skeletal system. To validate this suspicion, the researchers conducted a high-resolution CT scan of the recovered remains, enabling a noninvasive, three dimensional view of the internal bone architecture and surrounding tissues.
The imaging revealed that abnormal bone growth extended both outward and inward within the vertebra, suggesting a pathology that disrupted normal bone development and remodeling. After careful examination of the tissue characteristics, the team concluded that the amphibian likely endured osteosarcoma, a malignant bone tumor known in humans as the most common form of bone cancer. This interpretation aligns with specific patterns of aggressive bone formation observed in ancient specimens and contributes to a growing body of evidence that cancer-like processes affected vertebrates long before modern hospitals and chemotherapy. The results invite a broader discussion about how cancer manifests across diverse species and geographies, and they reinforce the value of paleopathology in tracing the history of disease in the natural world. Attribution: BMC Ecology and Evolution.
Additional context comes from the broader scientific conversation about how cancer can present in unexpected forms and in deeply ancient lineages. For researchers today, studying such fossils offers a window into how environmental stressors, metabolism, and genetic factors may drive tumorigenesis over millions of years. The Metoposaurus case adds to a growing record of ancient cancers that helps scientists calibrate the timeline of oncogenic processes and refine diagnostic criteria that remain relevant to contemporary medicine in North America and beyond.