Staten Island female cancer project: Differences in mortality with relation to environmental justice factors, length of residence and spatial distribution

Staten Island, NY (SI) is downwind from the largest petrochemical industry in the world, home of Brookfield (EPA Superfund site) and Fresh Kills landfill. Using cancer incidence and mortality data from NY State Health Department (NYSDOH) and NY City Department of Health and Hygiene (NYCDOHH) respectively, it has been determined that SI has among the highest female age-adjusted incidence and mortality rates for various cancers in the metropolitan region. Our study investigates the association between cancer, and length of residence on SI. Researchers at the Center for Environmental Science developed and validated a methodology for obtaining data from a combination of newspaper obituaries and death certificates. Death certificate data for females were obtained for1980-1990 from NYCDOHH as well as a set of female controls. Controls were randomly matched by age. Life histories were complied through in-person, surrogate and obituary interviews for both cases and controls. Preliminary analysis using logistic regression demonstrated a significantly increased risk for female cancers: [breast (ICD 174.0): p < 0.001, OR = 1.2], [colorectal (ICD 153.0-154.9): p < 0.001, OR = 1.01], [lung (ICD 162.0): p < 0.02, OR = 1.12], [leukemia (ICD 204.0-206.0): p < 0.001, OR = 1.01], [endocrine (ICD 193.0-199.0): p < 0.05, OR = 1.02], [CNS (ICD 190.0-192.0): p = 0.003, OR = 1.02], [pancreas (ICD 157.0): p < 0.01, OR = 1.02], [lymphoma (ICD 200.0-202.8): < 0.01, OR = 1.01] associated with length of residence on SI. All data are mapped using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).