Cancer impacts a higher number of individuals within this area
In the industrial heartland of Omsk Oblast in Russia, a concerning trend has emerged: an increase in cancer cases and mortality rates among working-age individuals. This rise is plausibly linked to the region's industrial pollution, according to global evidence connecting pollution to cancer risk.
Omsk Oblast, home to significant heavy industry including petrochemical plants, has a history of environmental pollution. Carcinogens such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, heavy metals, and other hazardous chemicals are known to be associated with industrial pollution. However, recent scientific literature specifically addressing the increase in cancer cases and mortality among working-age individuals in Omsk Oblast, particularly in Omsk city, and the explicit role of industrial pollution is limited.
The regional program aimed at combating oncological diseases, approved on July 24th, 2023, focuses on improving preventive work among the population, enhancing methods for detecting oncological diseases, increasing the number of oncologists, and raising the qualifications of medical personnel. Yet, the program does not provide specific information on how these improvements will be achieved or any measures to address the increase in cancer mortality among working-age residents.
In 2024, a total of 9,909 cases of oncological diseases were diagnosed in Omsk Oblast, with 6,182 among Omsk residents and 3,454 among rural residents. The incidence rate per 100,000 people was 545 cases for the entire region, 559.7 in Omsk, and 484 in the districts. Men are affected more often by oncological diseases, with 581.9 cases per 100,000 population registered among men, and 513.4 among women.
Nine ingredients determined at atmospheric air monitoring posts in Omsk Oblast have a carcinogenic effect: soot (carbon-containing aerosol), formaldehyde, benzene, ethylbenzene, benzo(a)pyrene, cadmium, nickel, lead, chromium. Despite a decrease in the total volume of pollution, the air in Omsk Oblast remains hazardous to health, affecting not only workers of industrial enterprises but also other residents of the city of Omsk.
An analysis of the statistics showed an increase in cancer mortality among working-age residents. In 2022, this figure was 19.5%, in 2023 it rose to 23.5%, and in 2024 it reached 25.8%. While the program focuses on improving healthcare and preventive measures, it does not mention any specific measures to address this rise in cancer mortality.
For a comprehensive analysis of the environmental cancer epidemiology in Omsk, one would need to consult specialized epidemiological studies or government health statistics from Omsk Oblast or Russia’s Ministry of Health. Research institutions such as Omsk State Medical University may also have ongoing but unpublished or paywalled studies on this topic.
[1] [Source for the statement about the lack of specific recent epidemiological data or analyses detailing trends in cancer incidence or mortality by age group and relating them to industrial pollution in Omsk] [2] [Source for the statement about increased cancer mortality in working-age individuals in industrial areas possibly reflecting both rising incidence and possibly delays or deficiencies in early diagnosis and treatment, often compounded by high exposure to hazardous gases and chemicals in workplaces]
The scientific community is urgently called upon to conduct comprehensive studies on the link between industrial pollution and the rising cancer cases and mortality rates among working-age individuals in Omsk Oblast, particularly within Omsk city. Such research could help elucidate the role of carcinogens like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, heavy metals, and other hazardous chemicals incontroversially associated with industrial pollution.
The ongoing regional program aimed at combating oncological diseases lacks specific measures to address the significant increase in cancer mortality among working-age residents, highlighting the need for health-and-wellness initiatives tailored towards this demographic in the industrial heartland of Omsk Oblast.
