Fw: California's breast cancer blight ~ BBC

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From: " ilena rose " <ilena@...>

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Subject: California's breast cancer blight ~ BBC

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1791000/1791727.stm

>

> Wednesday, 30 January, 2002, 19:22 GMT

> California's breast cancer blight

>

>

> By Maggie Shiels in California

>

> California boasts the world's fifth largest economy, the biggest

> population in the US and is home to Silicon Valley and the film industry.

> And you can now add to that glittering list of achievements the title

> " breast cancer capital of the world " .

>

> What we see here in Marin may be a harbinger or warning of what is going

> on in similar areas in other parts of the country and perhaps the world

>

> Dr Tina e, epidemiologist A report just published by the Northern

> California Cancer Center says the San Francisco Bay Area as a whole has

> the highest rate of the disease for anywhere on the globe.

>

> More alarming is the fact that there has been a 20% jump in breast cancer

> cases in one year among white women in Marin County, situated just north

> of the city of San Francisco.

>

> The numbers, compiled from 1999 data, represent the largest recorded

> annual jump in the breast cancer rate ever in Marin, which already topped

> the league for any county in the Golden State.

>

> Staggering stats

>

> The study focuses on white women because there are less than 10 African

> American, Hispanic or Asian American women diagnosed each year and rates

> and trends are difficult to analyse for these groups.

>

>

> Fern Ornstein: This is a wake-up call for everybody

>

> Dr Tina e, an epidemiologist at the centre, told BBC News Online:

> " Between 1991 and 1999, rates have increased about 60% in Marin, as

> compared with increases of less than 5% in other urban parts of the state.

>

>

> " Breast cancer rates for white women in Marin are now 28% higher than

> rates in other counties in the San Francisco Bay Area and 38% higher than

> rates in other urban parts of California. "

>

> The research shows that the increase in 1999 was mostly confined to women

> aged 45-64. In Marin, these rates are 58% higher than in other parts of

> the Bay Area and 72% higher than in other urban parts of California.

>

> At a loss

>

> Fern Ornstein is a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed with the

> disease in 1996. She says the dramatic increase is depressing but should

> be used as a launch pad to heighten overall awareness.

>

> Sitting poring over local newspaper headlines from the report, Ms Ornstein

> said: " I hope this is a wake-up call to individual women and the community

> at large to try to understand these rates and what they mean.

>

> " We need to try to better understand what this epidemic is all about. We

> need to be more aware, more informed and more vigilant about breast cancer

> health. "

>

> Most experts admit to being at a loss when trying to explain why one of

> the wealthiest counties in the whole of California is prone to such a rise

> in the disease.

>

> Wider warning

>

> Marin is famous for its exercise-conscious lifestyle and prevalence of

> organic food stores and farmers markets, but Dr e said there were

> some clues to hint at what set Marin apart.

>

>

> Janice Barlow: There must be environmental factors

>

> For starters, she underlined the fact that breast cancer was more

> prevalent in older, wealthier white women who either did not have children

> or put it off until they were in their 30s and 40s. And Dr e also

> pointed to Marin's female population being older; average house prices of

> around $700,000 meant few young women with families could afford to live

> in the county.

>

> For Dr e, the current picture should concern everyone. " What we see

> here in Marin may be a harbinger or warning of what is going on in similar

> areas in other parts of the country and perhaps the world. "

>

> Dr Margaret Wrensch is an epidemiologist from the University of California

> at San Francisco, who says it is hard to know what to make of the rise in

> cases without more research.

>

> " The biggest question for me is why is it that breast cancer is associated

> with high socio-economic status? This is one of the major killers of women

> in the US and probably elsewhere, " she said.

>

> Death rate

>

> " We have observed this situation throughout the world for many decades but

> we still don't have a good handle on what it is about this group that

> results in a high incidence of the disease. "

>

> At Marin Breast Cancer Watch there is a belief that environmental links

> may play a part. Janice Barlow is the group's executive director and is

> preparing a report into the subject for a Select Committee hearing on

> Cancer Detection, Prevention and Research.

>

> " We know well the connection between a high socio-economic level - and

> that women in Marin often fall into that category. So people dismiss it

> because Marin women have children later and we understand that is a risk

> factor. But that only explains 50% of the cases of cancer and we have

> women who come here who don't have any of those risk factors.

>

> " So, it's frustrating to see the incidence continue to rise and that makes

> us think there are other factors involved and we should look at the links

> between the environment and breast cancer. "

>

> The report also reveals that the death rate In Marin is also 25% higher

> than the rest of the Bay Area and California.

>

>