Transcript CIGARETTE SMOKING and CANCER

Investigating Cancer in the Community
Basic Epidemiology Principles

PUBLIC HEALTH INSTITUTE
Spring 2004
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Gene B. Weinberg, MPH, Dr.PH
Bureau of Epidemiology
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Age-specific Incidence Rates by Race and Sex
Pennsylvania, 1994-98
5000
4500
4000
Incidence Per 100,000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
BM
WM
BF
WF
1000
500
0
<30
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
Age
60-64
65-69
70-74
75-79
80+
Death Rates for Leading Cancers
Pennsylvania, 1955 to 1998
Females
40
35
Lung
DEATHS/100,000
Breast
Colorectum
30
25
20
15
10
98
97
96
1995
94
93
92
91
1990
89
88
87
86
1985
YEAR
Health Department Responses to Cancer Clusters
Evaluate Significance
Assess the Causes
Recommend Public Health Actions
Educate
Determine the Need for Further Studies
International Classification of Diseases for Oncology
Morphology Code
Description
9840 /3 *
Acute Myeloid leukemia, M6 type
9861 /3 *
Acute Myeloid leukemia, NOS
9866 /3 *
Acute promyelocytic leukemia, t(15;17)(q22;q11-12)
9867 /3 *
Acute myelomonocytic leukemia
9870 /3 *
Acute basophilic
9871 /3 *
Acute myeloid leukemia w abnormal marrow eosinphls
9872 /3 *
Acute myeloid leukemia, minimal differentiation
9873 /3 *
Acute myeloid leukemia without maturation
9874 /3 *
Acute myeloid leukemia with maturation
9891 /3 *
Acute monocytic leukemia
9895 /3 *
Acute myeloid leukemia with multi-lineage dysplasia
9896 /3 *
Acute myeloid leukemia, t(8;21)(q22;q22)
9897 /3 *
Acute myeloid leukemia, 11q23 abnormalities
9910 /3 *
Acute megakaryoblastic leukemia
Reasons for Growing Numbers of Cluster Reports

Greater Awareness of Cancer

Public More Willing to Talk about their Experiences

Media Coverage

Greater Concern about the Environment

Public is More Sophisticated
Characteristics of Cancer and Infectious Disease Epidemics
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
CANCERS
Easily recognized
Not easily recognized
Short incubation period
Very long incubation period
Agent generally understood
Agents not known
Intervention possible
Intervention not possible
Short exposure period
Long exposure period