A recent study seeking to understand the alarmingly high level of cancer cases in Haifa shows conclusively that the cause cannot be attributed to increased cigarette smoking or socioeconomic conditions.

A report released in 2007 shows the cancer rate in Haifa is the highest nationwide, and the study conducted by Hadassah Hospital seeks to understand why. Taking Haifa’s population into consideration, calculated with the size of the city, the cancer rate is 22% higher than elsewhere in Israel.

The study criticizes the Ministry of Health figures, for failing to take into account demographic realities, smoking and socioeconomic conditions but this latest report does indeed address these issues. The study was carried out by experts from the Department of Oncology at Hadassah, along with the Ministry of Health and researches at Haifa University. They included the factors listed above, and together with other pertinent facts, including the size of the city and population, sought out to determine the cause of the high cancer rate.

They discovered increase incidents of lung, bladder, cervical and digestive tract cancers that are significantly higher than elsewhere in the country. The diagnosed cases of lung cancer are 29% higher than the national average.

The researchers addressed the data ignored in the 2007 study, including socioeconomic factors and education of the victims. The study confirms the rate of smokers in Haifa does not exceed the national average, yet lung cancer is 29% more prevalent in Haifa than elsewhere in Israel. They also found an increase in diagnosed cases of cancer in areas of Haifa with higher recordings of cadmium contamination.

Heading the study was Prof. Tamar Peretz, who heads Hadassah’s Oncologic Institute, working with Dr, Aviad Zik and Dr. Yakir Rothenberg. They report the incidents of falling ill to cancer are systematic, and repeated themselves, even after eliminating some of the other factors.

As to the “why” they report they haven’t yet found a definitive answer, cautioning their findings are preliminary from a research point of view, but it appears the cadmium pollution does play a role, found primarily in areas of the chemical factories in the city, however from a research point of view, this cannot be proven conclusively as of yet.

Connecting cancer with environmental causes is most difficult they explain, since one must also factor in genetics and many other environmental realities.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)