Staten Island Breast Cancer Project: Length of residence on Staten Island, occupation, socio-economic factors and mortality risk

Staten Island (SI), NY is downwind from the largest petrochemical industry in the world, Brookfield (EPA Superfund site) and for more than 50 years harbored the largest open dump, Fresh Kills landfill. Using breast cancer incidence and mortality data from New York State Health Department (NYSDOH) and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH), it has been determined that SI has among the highest female breast cancer age-adjusted incidence and the highest age-adjusted mortality rates in the metropolitan region, respectively. Our study investigates the association between breast cancer and the length of residence on SI, occupation and socio-economic factors. 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 breast cancer deaths (ICD 174) were obtained from 1980 to 1990 from NYCDOHMH as well as a set of female controls. Controls were randomly matched by age. Life histories were compiled through in-person, surrogate, and obituary interviews for both cases and controls. Preliminary analysis using logistic regression demonstrated: [1] a statistically significant increase in the risk for breast cancers associated with length of residence on SI (p<0.001); [2] an increased occupational risk (p<0.06); and [3] no increased risk in socio-economic factors (poverty, p<0.786; education, p<0.5467). All cases were mapped using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).