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Information request:
The PVC database currently only includes data from the Louisiana Tumor Registry regarding incidence and mortality of cancers in Louisiana parishes. The draft report indicated that these data do not show an increase in cancer incidence in LA parishes compared to other US states, but do show an increase in certain types of cancer mortality (e.g., lung cancer in males). Some stakeholders have called into question this section of the report and have provided a book and a magazine article as supporting evidence for their position.

Studies or anecdotal data suggesting increased cancer incidence surrounding vinyl production facilities across the US were searched for prior to preparation of the draft report. As part of current report revision efforts, a more extensive search has been undertaken in the peer-reviewed literature regarding cancer incidence near Baton Rouge and Lake Charles, LA. Studies that address these locales indicate an absence of cancer increases, except with regard to lung cancer.

In order to more fully address the potential impacts of the vinyl industry on the health of neighboring communities, the TG has the following request. Information and citations that will help compare the local cancer incidence rates in the communities adjacent to PVC facilities with those of communities living away from PVC facilities are necessary. We need local cancer incidence rates of both fenceline and non-fenceline communities with similar backgrounds in socio-economic status, geographical locations, age, bodymass index, smoking rates, as well as incidence of cirrhosis, hepatitis B or C, drinking of coffee and alcohol, incidence of other pre-existing cancers and exposure to other pollutants. Because liver cancer is a rare disease and involves other causes than vinyl chloride, the causal relationship between exposure and incidence is difficult to establish at the current ambient toxicant concentrations. However, if an increase in liver cancer incidence is observed only in fenceline communities with elevated vinyl chloride exposure (or that of associated compounds), and not in non-fenceline communities with no exposure to these compounds (given everything else equal), then it might be possible to establish a causal relationship.

Please note that this kind of investigation usually requires a large-scale epidemiological study by experts. So far we have not found any epidemiological literature showing increased cancer rates in fenceline communities at current ambient exposure levels. Anecdotal incidences are often disregarded because of other confounding factors. We are looking for evidence of a causal relationship that is scientifically sound.

Citation of information sources is required. If it is possible to email PDFs of original source documents, this is encouraged and we will post the original source documents on this web page for others to download. Please email source document PDFs to tsac@greenriver.org.