Ecological studies of cancer incidence in an area interested by dumping waste sites in Campania (Italy)

Ann Ist Super Sanita. 2011;47(2):181-91. doi: 10.4415/ANN_11_02_10.

Abstract

Cancer incidence was investigated in an area which has been affected by the illegal practices of dumping hazardous waste and setting fire to mismanaged waste. For the 35 municipalities of this area that are served by a Cancer Registry, municipal standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and hierarchical Bayesian estimators (BIR) were computed. Moreover, municipal spatial clustering and a Poisson regression by municipality index of waste-related exposure were performed for 10 cancer types. Increased municipality SIRs were found for some cancer types. The BIRs confirmed the increases for liver cancer in two municipalities. Statistically significant clusters were detected for liver, lung, leukaemia and soft tissue sarcomas. In the regression analysis, testis cancer showed significant trend with the index of waste-related exposure (RR = 1.18).

MeSH terms

  • Bayes Theorem
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Databases, Factual
  • Environmental Exposure
  • Female
  • Hazardous Waste / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Italy / epidemiology
  • Liver Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Male
  • Neoplasms / epidemiology*
  • Refuse Disposal
  • Registries
  • Regression Analysis
  • Urban Population

Substances

  • Hazardous Waste