[Peace-discuss] cancer and wartime exposures

[Dlind49 at aol.com]

Lymphatic cancer twice as likely for Gulf veterans 
Depleted Uranium thought to be linked 
Colin Brown, Political Editor   

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

The government has launched an investigation into cancers among Gulf war 
veterans after figures disclosed that the incidence of lymphatic cancer among 
troops who served in Iraq is almost twice the normal level. 

The study, to be carried out by scientists at Manchester University, follows 
claims by veterans' organisations that the cancers might have been caused by 
depleted uranium shells used in the conflict.

The Ministry of Defence insists that there is no evidence of a link but has 
agreed to conduct further research because of the abnormally high level of 
deaths.

The ministry's figures show that there were 92 deaths from cancer. These 
include 19 cases of lymphatic or bone marrow cancers among the veterans of 
the Gulf conflict, compared with only 11 in a control group of men of similar 
age.

The incidence of other cancers among the veterans was normal or below the 
number in the control group.

A spokesman for the MoD said: "We have had a medical inquiry into Gulf war 
syndrome. This investigation is taking it into a new area. It shows that we 
are listening to the concerns of the Gulf war veterans."

James Moore, a director of the National Gulf War Veterans and Families 
Association, welcomed the investigation but said that it should not be a 
repeat of the MoD "whitewash" on Gulf war syndrome.

The Government is also investigating the high incidence of driving accidents 
among the veterans. The aim is to discover whether the former soldiers have a 
shorter attention span, possibly associated with post-traumatic stress 
disorder, or whether they are more inclined to take risks than other drivers.

A total of 118 veterans have died in road accidents between April 1 1991 and 
June 30 this year, against 92 in a control group.

A total of 53,200 troops served in the Gulf war. So far, of the 551 who have 
died, 213 deaths were caused by disease-related causes such as cancer. A 
further 329 have died from accidents or other causes including six murdered 
and 100 who committed suicide. More than 5,000 survivors have reported 
various forms of illness. 

Posted to the NGWRC Web 8/5/2002 11:37:19 AM