More lung cancer in poorer neighborhoods, more skin cancer on coast: Cancer Atlas

The Comprehensive Cancer Center of the Netherlands (IKNL) launched an interactive atlas that shows how many cases of the 24 most common cancer types occur in the various Dutch regions. Immediately apparent is that lung cancer is more common in poorer neighborhoods, and people who live in coastal areas are more likely to get skin cancer.

The IKNL based the atlas on analyzes of data from the Dutch Cancer Registry from 2011 to 2020. The atlas shows whether the number of diagnoses in an area was higher, lower, or equal to the Dutch average.

The center hopes the atlas will make Netherlands residents more aware of their cancer risk and how to prevent it. Skin cancer is much more common in coastal areas than elsewhere. “It would be great if people in these areas are more aware of UV radiation thanks to our atlas,” Valery Lemmers, principal researcher at IKNL and professor at Erasmus University, said to NOS. “So apply sunscreen, wear a cap, and seek shade more often when you go to the beach.”

Policymakers can also use the atlas to determine where socioeconomic factors increase people’s risk for cancer. The atlas clearly shows that lung cancer is more common in disadvantaged neighborhoods. “That makes it clear that environmental factors play an important role in this disease,” Lemmens said to the broadcaster.

“If people live in certain neighborhoods, they have less chance of a good education, less chance of a well-paid job, difficult living conditions, and therefore have more chance of stress. In an environment where smoking is normal, it is more challenging to quit the addiction. People turn to a cigarette to relax and live less healthy lives as a result.” Policymakers can use the atlas to take measures at a neighborhood level to improve living conditions.

KWF Cancer Control also thinks local health services can use IKNL’s atlas to help make more targeted and local prevention programs. The organization will therefore give the GGD health services 6 million euros to develop such plans, according to NOS.