In Amsterdam-Noord people have lung cancer more often than average, but less often skin cancer
In the Netherlands, an average of 77 people are diagnosed with lung cancer per 100,000 inhabitants, but in Amsterdam-Noord this is 116. In Buiksloterham – part of the Noord district – lung cancer is even found 1.9 times as often. This is evident from the cancer atlas which the Comprehensive Cancer Center of the Netherlands (IKNL) distributed on Tuesday.
“The differences can at least be traced back to lifestyle habits,” says Otto Visser, IKNL’s head cancer registry. For example, smoking is the culprit in 8 out of 10 cases of lung cancer. The fact that Noord leads the sad ranking means that people have smoked more there.
In other districts of the city, head and neck cancer is more than 30 percent more common than the Dutch average, but this does not coincide with a district in a comparable way. Head and neck cancer is associated with the use of alcohol and tobacco.
Population survey
The fact that cervical cancer is also more common in Amsterdam can be traced back to a lower participation in the population screening. Early screening can prevent cervical cancer.
There is no connection (yet) between the lower HPV vaccination rate in New West and the higher incidence of cervical cancer. It is true that cervical cancer is caused by an infection with the human papilloma virus (HPV), but the disease only manifests itself about fifteen years after an infection. The HPV vaccination has only been part of the national vaccination program since 2010, so the impact of the lower Amsterdam participation in the HPV vaccination campaign is not yet visible.
It is striking in the cancer atlas that relatively more people develop cancer in neighborhoods with a socio-economic decline than in wealthier neighbourhoods. This applies not only to Amsterdam, but also to the elderly in the Netherlands. A lower socio-economic status is often associated with unhealthy lifestyle habits.
While smoking led to many new cancer patients in the past decades, IKNL expects the same from overweight in the future. Due to a disruption of the hormonal balance, overweight increases the risk of various forms of cancer. Obesity is more common in neighborhoods with a lower socio-economic status, such as North, Southeast or New West.
Less skin cancer
To also make a positive statement: skin cancer is actually used less often in Amsterdam. This is because relatively more people live in the capital with dark skin, which protects against solar radiation. “It is also known that Muslim women more often wear clothing that covers the skin, which also protects,” says Visser. Not surprisingly, skin cancer in the Netherlands is more common in people living along the Dutch coast.
It cannot be concluded from the data that IKNL has analyzed that the living environment in Amsterdam leads to more cancer diagnoses. “I obtained my PhD on research into the influence of Amsterdam’s traffic on cancer,” says Visser. “There was no connection between them. The same applies to the living environment around Schiphol, where there is even a connection between cancer and the living environment.”
Visser does not want to say that a large living environment has no influence on health. “There is more particulate matter in large cities. This causes relatively more lung and cardiovascular diseases. But for cancer, those effects are very small.”
Tata steel
The discussion about the role of the living environment on health is also taking place in the IJmuiden region, where Tata steel is situated. Parts of IJmuiden, Velsen and Beverwijk have an above-average number of lung cancer patients. at the same time, relatively fewer cases can be seen in underlying areas, including Velsen-Zuid.
“The industry has a smaller influence than smoking,” says IKNL director Valery Lemmens. “Although I certainly do not want to say that air pollution does not play a role at all, because it certainly has an effect on health. Yet lung cancer is mainly caused by smoking.”
By showing the regional differences, the IKNL hopes for more prevention. Lemmens: “You can clearly see that the socio-economic status of people also leads to health differences. We shouldn’t want that.”