Friday 30 May 2014

A Saudi physician claims there is too much nitrogen dioxide gas in the air in Riyadh, Makkah and the Eastern Province, which is causing rising levels of breast and lung cancer, local media reported recently. Based on a survey carried out last year in the three regions, nitrogen dioxide gas was found to be one of the main causes of breast cancer, said Salih Al-Othman, a cancer consultant at the Gulf cancer center of King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center. The survey found high levels of the gas in the three regions, the expert said. He said there should be more research conducted on the situation. He said doctors are having difficulty tackling the disease because 60 percent of women in the Gulf come for treatment when they are in the advanced stages of the illness.

Only 25 to 30 percent come for treatment in the early stages of the disease. Al-Othman warned that there would be a sharp increase in cases if nothing is done about pollution in the next 10 years. He said the Gulf Cancer Center, in cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), has recommendations various initiatives to tackle the illness including anti-smoking legislation, better school nutrition programs, and encouraging of physical exercise at male and female schools. Omar Ba-Yamin, head of the Early Cancer Detection Program, said breast cancer is the most widespread type in women. There were 1,152 cases in 2008 and 1,308 cases in 2009, an increase of 13.5 percent, he was quoted as saying.

The US Environmental Protection Agency says on its website that nitrogen dioxide belongs to a family of highly reactive gases called nitrogen oxides. "These gases form when fuel is burned at high temperatures, and come principally from motor vehicle exhaust and stationary sources such as electric utilities and industrial boilers." Nitrogen dioxide can irritate the lungs and lower resistance to respiratory infections such as influenza and can cause acute respiratory illness in children. It can also contribute to an environment destructive to fish and other animal life.

© Arab News 2014