High Cancer Rates in East Loverpool, and they want to add a coal to liquid fuel

[irishbobcat]

High cancer cases in EL
By MICHAEL D. McELWAIN (mmcelwain@reviewonline.com) POSTED: February 20, 2009 Save | Print | Email | Read comments | Post a comment
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EAST LIVERPOOL - An analysis of certain cancer cases in East Liverpool has been released and initial data shows the area to have numbers above both state and national averages.

The data, compiled by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH), was sent to East Liverpool Health District Commissioner Gary Ryan on Wednesday.

Ryan requested the information and the most recent statistics from Robert Indian, head of the ODH, several months ago.

The data takes a look at 905 "invasive cancer" cases diagnosed in East Liverpool during the 1996-2005 time frame.

"It's a pretty long study," Ryan said.

If the numbers were interpolated and adjusted out to compare the incidence rates per 100,000 persons to state and national rates, the data suggests the East Liverpool numbers are markedly higher.

The study relies on its comparison with data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program, a widely-accepted source for cancer statistics in the U.S.

For all the cancer types total, the U.S. SEER rate is 483.2 per 100,000 persons. The Ohio SEER rate is lower than the national average and is at 450.4, according to the figures released by the ODH.

East Liverpool's SEER rate is 615.8.

"As you can see, the Ohio rate is less than the national rate, but we are greater than the Ohio and national rate," Ryan told members of the East Liverpool Health District Board.

Of all the categories, prostate cancer was the highest observed invasive cancer type in East Liverpool at a SEER rate of 200.3 per 100,000 persons. The national average is 164.3 and the state average is 129.1.

Female breast cancer was the second highest cancer type recorded with an East Liverpool ranking of 153.6 and a state SEER rate of 124 and national rate of 136.6 per 100,000 persons.

Other types of cancer with a high level of occurrence in East Liverpool were in the form of lung, colon, uterine and bladder cancers, according to the report.

East Liverpool statistics do show a lower level of incidences in brain, kidney, larynx, stomach and thyroid cancer when compared to the state and national numbers.

Ryan said he had some additional questions for Indian but was working to digest the numbers.

Some of the data was incomplete or did not help to shed light on anything, according to Ryan.

For instance, in the data concerning cancer incidences and those who use tobacco, in 53 percent of the cases, the tobacco history was unknown or not reported.

The highest overall incidences in East Liverpool, 33 percent, belonged to those in the 70-79 age group, and the highest number of invasive cancer cases during the time of the study - 122 cases or 13 percent - was reported in 1999. Some 79 cases were recorded in 2005, the last year of the study.

The report did not shed any light on why East Liverpool's rate of invasive cancer cases was higher than both the state and national averages.

Calls Thursday afternoon to the ODH and Indian were not returned.

Ryan also presented to the board a letter from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) concerning a study about air quality in and around public schools.

The initial story ran in the USA Today, and the publication suggested East Liverpool schools were ranked high for having air quality issues for school children.

"USA Today has raised a legitimate issue worthy of further scrutiny, but please do not assume students are at immediate risk based on the snapshot of data presented," wrote Caroline Markworth, OEPA public involvement coordinator.

Markworth continued, saying, "Ohio EPA is looking very closely into the issues raised in the article to ensure that public health and safety are protected."

She also pointed out, "At this time, we have not made any specific commitments to do more actual air testing near any of the schools listed in the stories."

The letter to Ryan did not rule out further investigation, and the agency said it will use the preliminary information "as a starting point to evaluate whether additional inquiries and investigations are necessary."

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and they still want to build the Baard coal to liquid fuel plant?
might as well give each baby born in East liverpool hospital a box of cigars at birth to get them started on cancer....

Dennis Spisak