Twenty-five geographic sites are designated as Areas of Concern (AOCs) in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. These AOCs are the most severely affected aquatic environments within the Great Lakes basin; areas where beneficial use is restricted due to serious contamination. Little understanding exists about the affects of living in these contaminated environments. We have relied on animal models to investigate such effects. However, the complex interactions within the ecosystem between true levels experienced by the organism, the interactions between various environmental contaminants, and organism behavior and genetics defy simplistic explanation. Frustration exists that because identification of a causal factor is unlikely, resulting in highly political public policy decisions because no clear decision-making criteria exist. Without such criteria, we must rely on a preponderance of evidence approach. In addition, we must present this evidence in ways the public, and thus elected officials, deem relevant. The question addressed is: What trends are seen in the cancer mortality rates among these AOCs in comparison with national rates? The National Cancer Institute Atlas of Cancer Mortality in the United States: 1950-1994 data were used. Leukemia was the most common cancer among the AOCs; biliary and kidney cancers were second and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, ovarian, rectal and testicular cancers third. This compares to cancers of the lung, breast and prostate as the top three national cancer mortality rates. Of the individual AOCs, Cleveland, Chicago, and Detroit and Gary had the first, second and third highest number of comparatively elevated mortality rates, respectively.
Learning Objectives: -Discuss cancer mortality trends across the US Great Lakes Areas of Concern. -Identify the cancers causing the highest mortality rates among these states and how those state or regional mortality rates compare to national rates. -Describe the limitations inherent in the use of national mortality data as a method to identify causal links between environmental contaminants and cancer incidence.
Keywords: Cancer, Disease Data
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.