Lymphatic cancer twice as
likely for Gulf veterans
Depleted Uranium thought to be
linked
Colin Brown,
Political Editor, The London Telegraph
August 5, 2002
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.
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