Public Education MeetingMay 21, 20111:00Hartford City, IN

We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future. ~John F. Kennedy~

The mission of Blackford County Concerned

Citizens is to improve the quality of life of Blackford County’s residents by reducing the incidence of diseases, primarily through citizen action to investigate the diseases that are prevalent and by advocating to have these diseases investigated

Founding Members Katherine Castelo

Kathy Schrope Dunsmore

Joseph Castelo

History of BCCC May 2010- met with Indiana Department

of Health December 2011-met with the Hoosier

Environmental Council and the IU School of Public Health

BCCC Contact info Facebook/Blackford County Indiana Cancer

Action Group

BlackfordCountyConcernedCitizens.com

BlackfordCountyConcernedCitizens@yahoo.com

What is happening in Blackford County?A summary of knowledge relating to disease and the environment

State Cancer IncidenceCancer Incidence by County

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Brown Warren Switzerland Perry Hamilton DeKalb Montgomery Henry Porter Hancock Crawford St. J oseph Miami Sullivan Pulaski Benton

County of Indiana

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Blackford County

Source: http://statecancerprofiles.cancer.gov/incidencerates/index.php?stateFIPS=18&cancer=001&race=00&sex=0&age=001&type=incd&sortVariableName=rate&sortOrder=default

Years 2002-2006

Blackford rate: 535.3State Avg: 457.2Std Dev: 39.5

Cancer Incidence Report from Indiana Department of Health Cancers sites that were statistically

higher than the state average All Cancer Sites Colon, rectum and anus Lung and Bronchus Malignant Lymphoma Thyroid and Other Endocrine Glands Bladder

Interim Report on Blackford County, Indiana Cancer Incidence Prepared by: Public Health Geographics, Epidemiology Resource Center Indiana State Department of Health Apriil 12th, 2010

Sampling from State Report

Years Expected # of Cases

Actual # of Case

All Sites 2001-2005 202.8 239Bladder 2001-2005 18.1 32Colon 2003-2005 28.5 40Lung 2001-2005 32.9 56Lymphoma 1997-2006 30.5 44Thyroid 1998-2007 13.6 25

Cancer Incidence by CountyUS Indiana Blackford Deleware Grant Henry Jay Madison Wayne

All Cancer Sites 473.7 479.4 536.9 492 535.7 508.9 504.2 469.3 499.1Female Breast 125.1 113.8 86.9 117.2 106.6 114.3 116.2 109.1 106.9

Prostate 159.2 137.5 152.3 152 163.5 118.9 105.3 142 122.2Lung and Bronchus 69.5 79.8 95.8 81.3 84.1 87.2 91 84.1 97.3

Colorectal 52.6 52.2 63.8 53.4 53.1 65.9 56.5 43.6 51.6

State Cancer Profiles by National Cancer InstituteYears 2003-2007

Red-highest rate in compared countiesBlue-second highest rate in compared counties

Issues with Data Small Population Data lags behind

Latest data analyzed was 2007 Inaccurate Reporting

People seeking treatment else where Long term residents who move before

diagnosis

What is Cancer? A name for a group of more than 100 diseases

where cells grow out of control Cancer cell growth is different than normal cell

growth. Cancer cells don’t die Cancer cells can invade other tissues Cells become cancer cells when DNA is damaged Some damage is inherited but most is caused

while a normal cell is reproducing or from something in the environment

What Causes Cancer? Tobacco Overweight or Obesity Physical inactivity and nutrition Infectious Agents

E.g. HPV, HIV Heredity Ultraviolet Light Environmental Factors

Source: American Cancer Society, Cancer Facts & Figures 2008

Who Gets Cancer? Anyone can get cancer One of the biggest factors that can make a

person more likely to get cancer is age: 3 out of 4 cancers are found in people age 55 or older.

Half of all men and one-third of all women in the US will develop cancer during their lifetimes

There are many other factors that affect cancer risk and some of them can be changed

Colon Cancer• The 3rd most common cancer in both men and

women in the U.S.• 3rd leading cause of cancer-related death in the

U.S.• At least half of all cases could be prevented by

regular testing• Non-controllable risk factors include age and

family history• Controllable risk factors include diet, smoking,

overweight, heavy alcohol use, physical activity

Colon Cancer Risk Factors Diets that are high in red meats and

processed meats Obesity Smoking Heavy alcohol use Type 2 diabetes

Lung Cancer Lung cancer is the second most common

cancer in both men and women It accounts for 15% of all new cancers Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer

death among both men and women in the U.S. More people die of lung cancer than of colon,

breast, and prostate cancers combined Lung cancer mainly occurs in older people For smokers, the risk is much higher

Lung Cancer Risk Factors Smoking Radon Exposure to second hand smoke Work place exposure to asbestos Cancer causing agents in the workplace

Radioactive ores Inhaled chemicals such as arsenic, silica, vinyl

chloride, nickel and chromium compounds Diesel exhaust

Lymphoma Risk Factors Exposure to certain chemicals such as

benzene and certain herbicides and insecticides

Immune system deficiency Autoimmune Disease Certain viral infections Age

Thyroid Cancer Risk Factors Exposure to radiation Diet low in iodine Hereditary conditions Age and Gender

In women risk peaks between 45-49 In men risk peaks between 65-69

Bladder Cancer Risk Factors Smoking Arsenic in the drinking water Work place exposures to aromatic amines or

certain organic chemicals Industries carrying highest risks include

Makers of rubber, leather, textiles and paint products

Other workers with increased risk include painters, hairdressers, machinist, printers and truck drivers (because of diesel fumes)

Female Breast Cancer• The most common cancer in women in the U.S.• 2nd leading cause of cancer-related death in

women in the U.S.• Death rates have been steadily going down

since 1990• Non-controllable risk factors include age,

genetics, family history, dense breast tissue• Controllable risk factors include exposure to

tobacco smoke, overweight, alcohol use, physical activity

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, Lou Gehrigs Disease)

ALS incidence is AT LEAST 4.5 cases/100,00

ALS incidence in the US is 1-2 cases/100,000

Environmental pollutants such as toluene are suspected in ALS

5-10% of cases are genetic, the cause in the rest is unknown

Questions?