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The Prohibited Weapons and Malignant Diseases of Children

 in North of Iraq 1991-1998

Salih Abed M.Al. Jumaily

College of Medicine – Mosul - Iraq

Abstract:

The aim of the present study is to determine the effect of the prohibited weapons used by USA and allied forces on the incidence of childhood malignancies in the North of Iraq.

For comparison purposes, two periods were chosen (1983-1990_ i.e. eight years before the allied force aggression on Iraq in 1991 and 1991-1998, which is eight years after the that all children under 15 years of age with all types of malignancies registered and treated in Oncology Department attached to the Mosul Teaching Hospital were enrolled in this study as regards to their general characteristics and type of malignancies.

During the first period the main annual incidence of childhood malignancies was 28/million children under 15 years of age. This figure was increased to reach 37/million during the second period, the highest incidence was during the year 1995 (43.5/million).

During the two periods male predominance was evident. The fraction of patients living in urban areas was more than those of rural regions.

Almost half of malignancies affect those under five both before and after the violence, with 1.4 times increase in the incidence among the age group 11-14 years after the attack.  There was 1.3 times increase in cases reported during summer season after the violence.

Lymphoma precedes other malignancies 36.4% after the violence, while leukemia (31%) was the leading malignancy before. Followed by CNS malignancies, bone tumors, then renal tumors before and after the aggression respectively. The frequency of malignancies in this study was compared to those reported elsewhere.

Key Word: (Children, malignancies, prohibited weapons).

Introduction

Recent evidence stresses the importance of epidemiological approach to the study of possible etiological factors involved in the causation of malignancies both in adults as well as in children. [1] Most of the detailed reports on the incidence of childhood malignancies had from temperate areas. [2]

Malignancies in childhood are highly specific and differ in many aspects from that in adults. [3] The data available to the international agency of cancer indicate that the incidence of several type of childhood malignancies varies between different regions of the world more than had hitherto been assumed. [4]

Changes in the incidence should alert workers to possible change in environmental influences and from the basis for further studies. [5]

The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) prepared a secret report in April 1991, which the London Independent obtain. The report confirmed that the United States ground forces fired between 500 and 5000 round of depleted uranium (DU) armour-piercing shells. In addition US and British airfares launched approximately 5000 DU rockets and missils. The results are tons of radioactive and toxic rubble in Kuwait and Iraq.[6] Depleted Uranium (DU) is a radioactive by-product of the uranium enrichment process. Its ability to penetrate steel has made it an extremely popular weapon of choice and tank ammunition.[7] If DU enters the body it has the potential to generates significant medical consequences. The risks associated with DIU in the body are  both chemical and radiological. {8,9] The aim of this study is to determine the effect of the usage of these prohibited weapons used by USA and allied forces on the incidence of malignancies affecting children in North of Iraq and to compare it with other studies.

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