Vietnam veterans and their children are more likely to have some
types of cancer than the general population, according to a study
released today by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
(AIHW) and the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA).
The study shows that Vietnam veterans have significantly higher
levels of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma than expected.
Their children are far more likely to have a relatively rare
condition-cancer of the adrenal gland-than the general community.
The children also had a significantly higher than expected
prevalence of acute myeloid leukaemia.
The report, Morbidity of Vietnam Veterans: Adrenal Gland
Cancer, Leukaemia and Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma (supplementary report
no. 2) was commissioned by DVA and produced by the AIHW.
The report examined three conditions of concern to the veteran
community-adrenal gland cancer, four types of leukaemia and
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma-and compared their prevalence to the levels
estimated for the Australian community.
The study followed up medical reports with the permission of
6,842 veterans and 3,629 of their children. Other important results
for the veteran community include:
- There was no significant difference between veterans and the
community in the prevalence of the four main types of
leukaemia.
- The rate among veterans' children of acute lymphatic, chronic
lymphatic and chronic myeloid leukaemia was not significantly
different to that of the rest of the community.
8 December 2000
Further information: Phil Trickett, tel. 02
6244 1097
For media copies of the report: Publications Officer,
tel. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW
Publications Catalogue for availability.