Staten Island Breast Cancer Research Initiative (SIBCRI): Length of residence, critical estrogenic developmental periods, and proximity to Superfund sites and breast cancer mortality risk in older females (Ages 55 +) in Staten Island, NY

Staten Island (SI) is a densely populated, residential borough of New York City with 475,000 people. In addition to being located downwind from the largest petrochemical industry in the world, SI houses a number of environmental contamination sites. With the potential to explore causal environmental factors for breast cancer, researchers are particularly interested in older females (55 years +) as they have spent significant portions of their lives in this environmentally challenged borough.  Using breast cancer incidence and mortality data from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) and New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYCDOHMH) respectively, it has been determined that SI has the highest age-adjusted mortality rate, and the highest age-specific rate for females ages 55+ among the five boroughs of New York City for the past two decades while mammography compliance rates range from 75-99 percent. Researchers at the Center for Environmental Science used Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to map and analyze female breast cancer cases and controls, ages 55+ from SI for the years 1980-1990.  Cases and controls were investigated for length of residence on SI, critical estrogenic developmental periods, and proximity to Superfund sites on SI. Preliminary analysis using logistic regression demonstrated a significant increase in the risk for breast cancer mortality associated with puberty years on SI (p< 0.001); whereas, there was no significant increase in the risk for breast cancer mortality associated with length of residence on SI (p< 0.08).