‘Cancer Atlas’ concludes: testicular cancer is common in Eemnes and Bunschoten, but what does that mean?

That research is necessary, confirms director Ivo Struik of the Testicular Cancer Foundation. “I am completely surprised,” he says in a first reaction to the figures. “This is exactly what an atlas is for. The data raises questions that we have to answer.” When Struik saw the atlas, he was particularly struck by the fact that testicular cancer occurs more often in regions where families continue to live close together. But that could also be a coincidence. “Maybe it’s the environment or life choices, that’s always possible. But if it’s actually about families, then it doesn’t seem like a difficult research to me. All data are already in registers. If we start researching it, hopefully we’ll get a answer.”