Bill Walton Dies, Ancient Skull Shows Evidence of Cancer Surgery and More

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From NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton dying from cancer to an ancient skull showing evidence of early cancer treatments, here’s what’s happening in the oncology space this week.

Hall of Fame player, Bill Walton, died from cancer.

scoring the wining points at a basketball game | Image credit: © - Brocreative © -  stock.adobe.com

Bill Walton, known as a former Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and sports broadcaster, died from cancer at age 71.

It was reported that Walton died after “a prolonged fight with cancer,” according to the NBA.

“I am sad today hearing that my comrade and one of the sport world’s most beloved champions and characters has passed,” Julius “Dr. J” Erving, fellow Hall of Famer, wrote on social media about Walton. “Bill Walton enjoyed life in every way. To compete against him and to work with him was a blessing in my life.”

Walton played college basketball for UCLA before going on to play in the NBA for the Portland Trailblazers, San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers and Boston Celtics.

A “Married at First Sight” reality star provided a health update after cancer diagnosis.

Mel Schilling, from the reality TV show “Married at First Sight,” shared an update regarding her colon cancer.

During an interview with OK! Magazine, Schilling explained that she’s “halfway through and it’s getting hard.”

“Feeling fatigued and nauseous is a bigger part of my everyday life,” she said. “It feels like I’m hungover or pregnant every day, which is not fun.”

She added that continuing to work during her treatment has helped her mental health.

“I’ve had to adjust my work schedule so the chemotherapy isn’t near when I’m filming something — I like to make the most of my energy,” she said. “Working is so important to me, and while it does take energy from me, it gives me energy too — I get so much out of work and I need it.”

Scientists found evidence of the removal of a tumor in an ancient Egyptian skull.

An ancient Egyptian skull has shown evidence of a possible surgery to remove cancer. The skull, which dates back to between 2686 BC and 2345 BC, is considered one of the oldest examples of malignancy in ancient history, according to CNN.

Signs of cut marks around the tumors demonstrated that sharp tools or instruments were used to remove the malignancies, CNN reported.

“It was the very first time that humanity was dealing surgically with what we nowadays call cancer,” Dr. Edgard Camarós, a professor in the department of history at the University of Santiago de Compostela in Coruña, Spain, told CNN.

Camarós explained to CNN that it is still unknown whether the tumors were removed while the patient was alive or if they were extracted for analysis after they died.

“If those cut marks were done with that person alive, we’re talking about some kind of treatment directly related to the cancer,” he said. However, if the cut marks were after the patient died, “it means that this is a medical autopsy exploration in relation to that cancer.”

A “Dance Moms” star opened up about her cancer diagnosis.

Kelly Hyland, who is known for being on the reality show, “Dance Moms,” recently discussed her breast cancer diagnosis. The 53-year-old said that months after a routine mammogram showed no suspicion of cancer, she experienced “significant weight loss.” Hyland then found a lump in her breast and booked another mammogram.

“I had just had one done eight months prior and the results came back clean. However, this new mammogram and sonogram did not. It came back showing a mass,” Hyland told E! News.

A biopsy confirmed her diagnosis of stage 1, grade 3 invasive carcinoma, which is currently being treated with six rounds of chemotherapy. Hyland said that she will then undergo surgery, radiation and then 11 more treatments. “I have a long journey ahead,” she said.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, don’t forget to subscribe to CURE®’s newsletters here.

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