201310 Proximity to Arsenic-Contaminated Drinking Water Wells and Pancreatic Cancer

Monday, November 9, 2009

Wen Liu-Mares, MD, PhD , Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami, Miami, FL
Jill MacKinnon, PhD , Epidemiology and Public Health - Florida Cancer Data System, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL
Recinda Sherman, MPH, CTR , Department of Epidemiology, University of Miami, Miami, FL
Lora E. Fleming, MD, PhD , Department of Epidemiology & Public Health, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine - OHH Center and NIOSH Research Group, Miami, FL
Caio Rocha-Lima, MD , Department of Hematology, University of Miami, Miami, FL
Jennifer Hu, PhD , Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL
David J. Lee, PhD , Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL
Introduction: We sought to identify high-risk areas of pancreatic cancer incidence and determine if PC clusters were more likely to be located near arsenic-contaminated drinking water wells.

Methods: Spatial modeling was applied to pancreatic cancer cases diagnosed between 1998-2002 in Florida (n=11,405). Multivariable regression was used to determine if sociodemographic indicators, smoking history, and proximity to arsenic-contaminated well sites were associated with residence at the time of pancreatic cancer diagnosis within versus outside a cluster.

Results: Spatial modeling identified 2581 clusters in which 24.8% of all pancreatic cancer cases were located. Cases living within 4 miles and 1 mile of known arsenic-contaminated wells were significantly more likely to be diagnosed within a cluster of pancreatic cancers relative to cases living more than 4 miles from known sites (Odds Ratio= 1.58 [95% confidence interval=1.38-1.81] and 2.0 [1.59-2.52], respectively).

Conclusions: Exposure to arsenic-contaminated wells may be associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. Case-control studies are needed in order to confirm the findings of this ecological analysis.

Learning Objectives:
Identify pancreatic cancer clusters in Florida in a large population-based study; Analyze the proximity to arssenic-contaminated wells and pancreatic cancer clusters using spatial modeling; Evaluate the risk of pancreatic cancer in association with arsenic-contaminated drinking water from wells;

Keywords: Environmental Health Hazards, Cancer

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am an epidemiologist and a faculty who have been involved in identifying enviromental and genetic factors in the development of cancers.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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