Vice Chairwoman Denise Nichols presented data on Testicular, thyroid, acute leukemia and chronic leukemia deaths re Gulf War Vets 1991-94, that showed that we had increased mortality from these above the general population in 1991-94. She provided public comment at RAC meeting and then took it to Shays Committee and selected House and Senate members.

"It is criminal that cancer occurrence is not being given to Gulf War Veterans and health providers. It would seem that the VA should have a central Cancer Registry for each group of Veterans, i.e. lonising radiation Vets, VN Agent Orange, and Gulf War veterans. The registry, if we ever get one, could give break downs on cases by type and age, and deaths! And it should be on the VA website. How can we expect doctors to screen and provide cancer education for patients to be appropriately targeted if the VA does not provide the data in a transparent means? They rely on certain states with gold star rated cancer registries to provide this data, and these states aren't even the ones with the highest populations of the different groups of veterans that we should be monitoring!

Mortality for Thyroid Cancer deaths for Gulf War veterans less than 25 is 4 times the expected rate for this cancer.

Mortality for Testicular Cancer for Gulf War veterans in 1993 was 2.1 times the expected, and in 1994 1.45 times the expected rate. By age group: in 1992 in the 25-34 year old group, it was 4 times expected. In 1993, 13 times expected. And in 1994, 9 times over the expected.

For Acute Leukemia for 1993 and 1994, mortality for Gulf War veterans with ALL was 4 times the expected.

For Chronic Leukemia in Persian Gulf Group, it was 6-10 times expected rate in under 44 yr old group. In 1994 the number of deaths of Gulf War veterans from CML was 3-4 times the expected.

The VA does not publish cancer data for veterans that they know until years later when they service connect after IOM and then confer.

It is incomprehensible and improper that the VA fails to share the data on the number of cancer cases and the number of cancer deaths by type and age, and by category of vets. This simple thing could help the veterans patient monitor their health and pay attention to cancer education, and also provide the info. to the doctors that are supposed to know and screen for cancers.

I find this so against everthing I was taught in nursing!

The VA should be a leader in resolving cases of Gulf War Illness, but instead they hide the data that would be instrumental in assisting Gulf War Vets."

DN