This study was an investigation into the potential association between the incidence of lung cancer and radioemission density in the Portland-Vancouver metropolitan area. Incidence rates of lung cancer for the period 1963-1977 were calculated based on three geographic classification schemes and compared to radioemission density measurement estimates provided by the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. Additionally, geographic distance from each of two potential sources of exposure was used as a surrogate measure of radioemission density exposure. No direct evidence of an association between radioemission density and risk of lung cancer was found in this study. Several significant associations were identified through the analysis; however these associations were not consistent across the classification modalities employed. Thus their significance is suspect; and the model of exposure is unsupported. This lack of support for the association should not be construed as evidence that no association exists, only that such an association was not identified within this dataset. Caution is therefore suggested in the interpretation of these findings due to the inconclusive nature of the results.
Learning Objectives: "At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to:" 1) Discuss the appropriateness of classification methods of risk analysis for environmental exposures 2) Recognize the limitations of the use of secondary data for evaluating environmental exposures 3) Assess the usefulness of surrogate measures of exposure in population-based risk assessments 4) Evaluate the impact of inconclusive results, based on classification methodology.
Keywords: Cancer, Data/Surveillance
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.