(ANSAmed) - BELGRADE, DECEMBER 12 - Drastic increases in
cancer among Serbians may be due to radioactive munitions NATO
used in its spring 1999 bombings, Vecernje Novosti newspaper
reported a prominent oncologist as saying Wednesday.
Based on research on 5.5 million Serbs, between 2001-2010 the cancer rate in Serbia grew by 20% and the death rate was up 25%.
About 40,000 people are expected to develop cancer over the next few years, and 22-23,000 of them will die, according to Dr.
Slobodan Cikaric, who presides over the Association to Fight Cancer. ''This would mean 3,000 new patients and 1-2,000 deaths more than in 2010,'' Cikaric was reported as saying. ''The outlook is terrible. We can expect a significant increase in malignant tumors due to radioactive materials left behind on our territory. Cases of leukemia and lymphoma, which make up 5% of all tumors, rose 110% between 2001-2010, with mortality rising by 118%.'' (ANSAmed).
Based on research on 5.5 million Serbs, between 2001-2010 the cancer rate in Serbia grew by 20% and the death rate was up 25%.
About 40,000 people are expected to develop cancer over the next few years, and 22-23,000 of them will die, according to Dr.
Slobodan Cikaric, who presides over the Association to Fight Cancer. ''This would mean 3,000 new patients and 1-2,000 deaths more than in 2010,'' Cikaric was reported as saying. ''The outlook is terrible. We can expect a significant increase in malignant tumors due to radioactive materials left behind on our territory. Cases of leukemia and lymphoma, which make up 5% of all tumors, rose 110% between 2001-2010, with mortality rising by 118%.'' (ANSAmed).
