Cancer figures shock
Monday 7th September 2009, 3:00PM BST.
Dr Susan Turnbull
LEVELS of head and neck cancer in Jersey are among the highest in Britain and similar to those in the most deprived areas of the UK, the Health Department has revealed.
The prevalence of the disease in Jersey is being blamed on high levels of smoking and the Island’s long-standing problems with alcohol abuse.
Figures released to the JEP show that cases of the cancers, which often have a very poor survival rate, are almost twice as high as in the south-west of England and similar to those seen in Scotland, where cancer rates have traditionally been high.
Dr Susan Turnbull, Jersey’s Deputy Medical Officer of Health, said: ‘We have a similar rate of head and neck cancers to the most deprived areas of the UK, where levels of smoking and drinking are known to be high.
‘It has been recognised that levels of alcohol consumption in Jersey have been much higher than the European average for some time. It seems that the high levels of head and neck cancer is a legacy of too much smoking and too much drinking.’
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Nothing to do with a whacking great nuclear plants within spitting distance or masses of Radon from local granite?
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Well what a surprise… seriously you make spice a class B drug and yet alcohol remains legal despite drunks being violent, aggressive and the number 1 cause of road accidents in the world!
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It is probably down to having to live in a tiny room or bedsit,pressures of high finance,high cost of living,large mortgages ect.Is it the same with high divorce rates here which affects people here?
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Just wait until we start breathing in all the toxins from the incinerator!
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And Pat…….not to mention the added drain of already high, and from the sounds of it, soon to be increased alcohol and cigarette prices….
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I never used to drink much before I lived in Jersey. It’s the sheer depression of living on this island that drives you to alcohol
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Simon (1)
The south west is the highest radon area in UK (many places above 200 Becquerel’s) so this is obviously not the cause of the cancer’s. If radiation levels decrease cubically as you move away from Flammanville or Cap de Le Hague then everyone in Dielette should be dead before they reach a few years old.
I think the issues Alcohol, Fags and vehicle emission’s. On the other hand they must bring in a lot of taxes
Lulu (2) completely agree
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I’m with you Pat. Does anyone else remember Kettle & Toaster included?
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Stop blaming alcohol on all of our problems in society. Excessive levels of drinking is the only aspect of Jersey life that makes living on this island worthwhile
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How about the huge quantities of agricultural chemicals, like the very toxic Vydate, sprayed over the potatoes?
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There seems to be an awful lot of bitter Jersey residents, if its that bad why dont you move out – I’d always be willing to take your place, I loved living in Jersey – far better than the Essex – just take a long walk along St Ouens on a lovely sunny morning and that might cheer you up.
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If the incidence of primary brain and neck tumours is high in Jersey then we must look for factors that might account for this and not simply blame cigarettes and alcohol (which without doubt are causative factors but are not alone).
Certainly exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation, the kind produced by excessive dental x-rays is one risk factor (so no more implants!).
And of course we cannot ignore other “potential” causes such as certain infections, pesticides, radon gas and nitrosamines found in tobacco smoke,
cosmetics, automobile interiors, cured meats and rubber products such as baby soothers (so good-bye car, ham sandwiches and quiet babies!).
But what about nonionizing radiation, the kind that comes from television sets, power lines, video display terminals and microwave ovens?
Not all of us smoke and drink but we are all exposed to the harmful effects of electric “smog”, pesticides, Radon, etc., so the only real answer is move to Sark, abandon all of your mod-cons and keep the windows of your brand new Eco-friendly house open at all times…or else…
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6 (Carly)
If you are so depressed living here and were so happy before then leave. This island is beautiful yet is being spoilt by overpopulation.
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Have you ever thought that it’s probably because we have a ridiculous amount of mobile phone masts in Jersey? Look in to it people, they’re a huge cause of cancer.
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Carly # 6. The deamon drink won’t help depression. If you think it is depressing living on Jersey you should visit some of the terribly run down estates in parts of the U.K. There are samshed windows, neglected properties and rubbish and litter strewn all over the place.
I don’t know if there is a link between depression and cancer, yet I am told there is a link between some types of cancer and alcohol.
Richard # 9. There are many people who would swap their lot with you. I live in a very rural part of the U.K. where there are squalid villages and towns nearby and very few jobs. That’s depressing – Jersey is far better than you think; notwithstanding the numerous buffoons in the Island’s government.
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Mark 8 – pah you must have been common, I had a microwave. OK I couldn’t have friends visit and had to keep the telly down but they let me pay their mortgage while living in the attic.
I did once complain about the roof and they promised to get one!
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Annie Du Feu 13 to Carly 6
You forgot the bit:
“There’s a boat out in the morning!”
Come on Annie, get over your fears and learn to live with your fellow man!
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It seems that the deputy Medical Officer for health has,nt been out of the papers lately is it because the other Dr Geller is on holiday. We will expect big headlines on something else when she is back.
Anyway Ive got wineflue today .
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#13 Annie – You seem to turn every subject discussed, into an opportunity to spout your anger at the population figures. If you’re unhappy at the overcrowding, I suggest you find somewhere else to live
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Pat i completely agree to!!
Stress is the number one cause for most things in life! This island is definitely not stress free!! Having to worry about if you can afford to make your rent and buy food for the month etc!! Its a joke! Why is alcohol blamed all the time, i know people who have never drank or amoked in there lives who have passed away fromcancer! Jersey loves to focus on the whole alcohol thing tho!! Its the only thing there is to do!! Stop closing everything down and maybe everyone would stop sitting in the pub all the time!!!
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To give them their dues, at least for once they did say ‘high levels’ of smoking and not just ‘smoking’.
I don’t know what else people want her to say because the major factors in head and neck cancers are known to be smoking and drinking, there isn’t anything that I, or anyone, can do about that fact, and it is clear that Jersey does have particularly high levels of smoking.
I understand people’s feelings on legal highs although personally I do still have concerns about them, as do many of the medical community. The authorities take a long time to thoroughly research possible long-term effects of anything but even then they have a tendency to jump the gun in giving approval to drugs including prescription drugs.
#6 Carly, alcohol increases depression long-term, it only provides seeming benefit for a matter of hours after being consumed. The days afterwards you are more likely to feel depressed than before, which drives people back to the drink, and on it goes… it’s why their is an unusually high level of mental illness among alcoholics and homeless people.
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‘Richard # 9. There are many people who would swap their lot with you. I live in a very rural part of the U.K. where there are squalid villages and towns nearby and very few jobs. That’s depressing – Jersey is far better than you think; notwithstanding the numerous buffoons in the Island’s government.’
Depends where you live. I also live in a very rural part of the UK, but there are is some amazing countryside and fantastic villages and towns nearby and great transport links to major cities with good jobs available.
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well, over the last few years we have been told that Granite is a big factor in cancer also are phone masts (Jersey)! they say the proof is not there! but phone companies and governments would say that, they are one of the biggest money makers going. They say car fumes cause cancer, the sun, plastic bottles, bags, some people have gone as far to say that water treatment plants use products that cause cancer as well as kill rats, Certain milks have high levels of cancer building properties, Cling film, WIFI, plastic televisions, paint, poly plastic cups, some plants, oil cooked foods, hair products, toothpaste, The list goes on and on. so everything gives cancer from what were told or not told. My grandparents lived till they were in there 90s smoked heavily, drunk too much, and this was all from a young age. Its only been recent there has been a major increase in cancer related illness, i spoke to a doctor who told me its not the case to think they didn’t know about cancer 50 years ago, they did and he said even if you look at the causes of death the chances of it being cancer were slim in the young and even old, even in smokers and drinkers. remember more people smoked per size of the population than did now.
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Oh no… We’re all doomed!
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