GOVERNMENT OF GIBRALTAR
PRESS OFFICE
No.6 Convent Place
Gibraltar
Tel:20070071; Fax: 20043057
PRESS RELEASE
No: 10/2011
Date: 17th January 2011
“EPIDEMIOLOGICAL STUDY INTO CANCERS IN GIBRALTAR SHOWS THAT TOTAL
CANCER INCIDENCE RATE IN GIBRALTAR IS WITHIN THE NORMAL RANGE OF
OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES AND THAT GIBRALTAR IS NOT A HIGH RISK
COMMUNITY FOR CANCER”
For many years there has been speculation in Gibraltar about whether the incidence of
cancers in Gibraltar was abnormally high, and if so whether this is explicable by
reference to some local or regional cause.
The Government of Gibraltar has a manifesto commitment to investigate this issue, and
had for several years been attempting to conduct this study jointly with the appropriate
Spanish authorities in order that the investigation could take account of and report on a
wider regional basis. This did not prove possible and therefore, in accordance with its
commitment the Gibraltar Government has proceeded alone.
Already, back in the beginning of the last decade, the Gibraltar Government had
established a Cancer Registry to collect cancer incidence data in Gibraltar, without which
a Study of these issues would have been impossible.
In discharge of its commitment to establish the position in respect of these important
questions, the Government of Gibraltar commissioned renowned experts in these matters
from the National Environmental Research Institute of Aarhus University, Denmark to
conduct an Epidemiological study into cancers in Gibraltar. They are renowned experts in
the conduct of such studies. The study was conducted by Dr Hans Sanderson and Dr
Patrik Fauser, both of the National Environmental Research Institute of Aarhus University
The Epidemiological Study Report into cancers in Gibraltar, dated 22 December 2010 is
being published today. The full report is available on the Gibraltar Government website.
Attached to this press statement is a copy of the Report’s Executive Summary and
Conclusions, which provides answers to 6 fundamental questions.
The Report points out two relevant contextual facts, namely:
(1) The global burden of cancer is increasing, especially in the developed world.
Globally one in two men and one in three women will be diagnosed with cancer
during their lifetime. For one in three of these women the diagnosis will be breast
cancer;
(2) The cancer incidence rate increases exponentially with age especially at 60+years
of age. Accordingly, as populations grow older, that is the ratio of older people as a
proportion of the whole increases, so does the cancer rate and the proportion of the
population affected by cancer.
The main findings of the Study are that:
• the total cancer incidence rate in Gibraltar is within the normal range of other
European countries;
• Gibraltar is not a high risk community for cancer;
• The total cancer incidence rate in Gibraltar for the whole population is at the EU
average. Attached is a copy of Table 3.14 of the Study Report showing Gibraltar’s
position in relation to all EU countries and the EU average;
• The cancer rate for men only is in the lower quarter of the EU range with only four
EU countries having a lower rate than Gibraltar. Attached is a copy of Table 3.16 of
the Study Report showing Gibraltar’s position in respect of men only in relation to
all EU countries and the EU average;
• The total cancer incidence rate in Gibraltar for women only is in the upper quarter
of the range of EU countries, but still within the normal range for EU countries.
Attached is a copy of Table 3.15 of the Study Report showing Gibraltar’s position in
relation to women only within the EU;
• In summary, cancer incidence rates in Gibraltar among men is below the EU
average and for women it is above the EU average but well within the normal EU
range. The difference between the men and women rates in Gibraltar relative to the
EU average is due mainly to breast cancer.
• Breast cancer represents 38% of cancers in women and is a priority type. Breast
cancer is the most frequent type among European women. The incidence rate
among Gibraltarian women is higher than the EU average and at the upper end,
with a similar rate to Denmark, UK and Switzerland;
• Measured concentrations of carcinogens in the air pollution exposures in Gibraltar
are within the normal ranges of EU cities;
The Government, including the Public Health and Environmental authorities will study the
Report in detail to establish whether any actions or further studies are called for in respect
of any aspect of the Report.