Pollution and cancer: here is the map of the most vulnerable areas
The National Conference “Healing is Caring” Organized by AIL, the Italian Association against Leukemia, Lymphoma and Myeloma, the event examined the links between exposure to environmental pollutants and the possible consequences for citizens’ health, particularly cancer and leukaemia.
In this article
Pollution and cancer: the most vulnerable areas
In Italy, 400,000 new cancer cases and 180,000 premature deaths from cancer are registered each year. This data is not evenly and randomly distributed across the area. There is a concentration in areas exposed to pollution. The contaminated sites are reported in the 6th SENTIERI report, the epidemiological study of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità. According to the SENTIERI report, between 2013 and 2017, in the total of 46 national sites monitored by epidemiological surveillance, a mortality risk of more than 2% was estimated, which corresponds to about 1,668 deaths per year.
Mortality from mesothelioma (cancer that primarily affects the lungs) is more than threefold at sites presence of asbestos and port areas. In addition, mortality from colorectal cancer at sites characterized by the presence of chemical implants is over 4% in males and 3% in females, and 6% for bladder cancer in males living in landfill sites.
Tumors: we have to intervene with risk factors
“On AIL’s part, attention to the environment cannot fail because of its impact on health,” he explains pine bull, AIL National President. “There environmental crisis it is also the result of a significant increase in pollution sources both in the air and in other environments. The availability of scientific data and studies on the relationship between pollution and health at national and international levels should lead to urgent measures and policies to regulate environmental protection, food safety, public health protection and the introduction of toxic substances into the environment and in food.
European environmental legislation is probably the most advanced in the world and should be implemented more quickly by Italy to better protect the right to health as a fundamental right of the individual and the interests of the community and the environment. In terms of health, it is not enough to consider the aspect of cancer treatment, but it is necessary address risk factorsor on the prevention and protection of health as a tool for building healthy societies and communities.”
