Ovarian Cancer Incidence in the U.S. and Toxic Emissions from Pulp and Paper Plants: A Geospatial Analysis
Carol Hanchette 1,+, Charlie H. Zhang and Gary G. Schwartz
Department of Geography and Geosciences, University of Louisville, 2301 S 3rd Street, Louisville,KY 40292-0001, USA
Department of Population Health, School of Medicine & Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, 1301 N Columbia Rd., Stop 9037, Grand Forks, ND 58202-9037, USA; gary.schwartz at med.und.edu
* Correspondence: c.zhang at louisville.edu; Tel.: +1-502-852-2695 + Deceased.
Unclear if pulp mill pollution, by itself, is a higher or lower risk factor than Vitamin D
Unclear if the problem is air vs water pollution
It is well known, however, that pollution, toxic materials, smoking, etc. decrease levels of Vitamin D
- Ovarian cancer risk increases 27 percent for each 8 ng lower level of Vitamin D – Sept 2016
- Ovarian Cancer – 7 percent more likely to survive longer for every 4 ng higher vitamin D – July 2015
- Ovarian Cancer re-occurrence 50 percent more likely if still low vitamin D – Sept 2015
- Ovarian Cancer 5.8 X more likely if both low vitamin D and Fok1 gene change – May 2013
Air Pollution
- Air Pollution reduces Vitamin D production - many studies
- Less Outdoors, less UVB getting to the ground
- Air pollution associated with poor bone density (less vitamin D) – Nov 2017
Omega-3 also helps
- Diesel air pollution causes liver problems (and low vitamin D) if low Omega-3 (mice) – Jan 2018
- Pollutants increase Respiratory problems, Vitamin D, Omega-3, etc. decrease them – May 2018
- Probably people living near pollution sources should take BOTH Vitamin D3 and Omega-3
Comment by the founder of VitaminDWiki
I live near a pulp plant and I keep indoors when the wind is blowing in the "wrong" direction
I suspect air, not water, pollution is associated with poorer health - of many many kinds
Download the PDF from ResearchGate via VitaminDWiki
Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of female cancer mortality in the U.S. and accounts for five percent of all cancer deaths among women. No environmental risk factors for ovarian cancer have been confirmed. We previously reported that ovarian cancer incidence rates at the state level were significantly correlated with the extent of pulp and paper manufacturing. We evaluated that association using county-level data and advanced geospatial methods. Specifically, we investigated the relationship of spatial patterns of ovarian cancer incidence rates with toxic emissions from pulp and paper facilities using data from the Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory (TRI). Geospatial analysis identified clusters of counties with high ovarian cancer incidence rates in south-central Iowa, Wisconsin, New York, Pennsylvania, Alabama, and Georgia. A bivariate local indicator of spatial autocorrelation (LISA) analysis confirmed that counties with high ovarian cancer rates were associated with counties with large numbers of pulp and paper mills. Regression analysis of state level data indicated a positive correlation between ovarian cancer and water pollutant emissions. A similar relationship was identified from the analysis of county-level data. These data support a possible role of water-borne pollutants from pulp and paper mills in the etiology of ovarian cancer.