Cancer Alley

[DrBillC@aol.com]

Anyone see the recent article in the Journal of the Louisiana State Medical
Society called "Is there a Cancer Corridor in Louisiana"? Since this site has
been a locus for this type of dicussion I thought you'd be interested.
 Here's the abstract:

"Cancer mortality rates in South Louisiana are higher than the national
averages leading to the area's designation as a "cancer corridor".  This
study was conducted to assess whether incidence data substantiate the
reputation derived from mortality statistics.

Age-adjusted cancer incidence rates for 1983-1987 were calculated for South
Louisiana as a whole, for five regional divisions of it, and for the combined
nine areas of the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program.
 Significantly lower (p<0.0001) incidence rates were found in South Louisiana
among white females, black males and black females for cancers of all sites
combined; among women of both races for cancer of the breast; amopng men of
both races for cancers of the colon and prostate; and among whites of both
sexes for melanoma and rectal cancer.  South Louisiana incidence rates were
significantly higher than the SEER rates only for lung and larynx cancers in
white males.  The excess of lung cancer was significant only in the New
Orleans area.

The excessive mortality rates reported for South Louisiana are not the result
of excessive incidence.  These results indicate poorer cancer prognosis in
this region, a phenomenon that deserves more scrutiny by the health
profession."

Groves, Andrews, Chen, Fontham, Correa  J. La. State Med Soc 148, 155 (1996)

There are lots of data tables, and while the authors don't say it explicitly
there is good discussion of the lung/larynx cancer combination being a marker
for smoking or smoking and alcohol.  Significantly, there does not seem to be
a greater cancer incidence burden on people of color.

I think this is good news.  As the authors suggest, the mortality rates may
reflect the need for more diligent health care in the area, but "Cancer
Alley" appears not to be.

Bill Carroll
Chlorine Chemistry Council