The Acreage Cancer Study

This email was sent to Jennifer Dunsford on July 10, 2009:

Mr. Dunsford,

The Florida Cancer Data System  (FCDS)  hasbeen collecting information on cancer among Florida residents since1981.  Since then some additional reporting requirements have beenmodified.  According to FCDS :"Florida statute requires all malignant cancers reportable with the following exceptions-In situ carcinoma of the cervix (CIS), intraepithelial neoplasia gradeIII of the cervix (CIN III) and intraepithelial neoplasia of theprostate (PIN III) are not reportable. Basal and squamous cell carcinoma of non-genital skin sites are not reportable regardless of extent of disease at the time of diagnosis or the date of first contact with the reporting facility. Reportableon or after diagnosis date of 01/01/2001 are Intraepithelial neoplasiaGrade III of vulva (VIN III), vagina (VAIN III) and anus (AIN III) andMyelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS). All patients with anactive, benign or borderline brain or central nervous system (CNS)tumor, diagnosed on or after 01/01/2004, whether being treated or not are reportable. All cancer cases diagnosed and/or treated in Florida since 1981 must be reported to FCDS." We are able tolook at benign tumors beginning in 2004 and plan to do so.  We do nothave a way to look at benign tumors prior to 2004 in a systematic wayfrom existing data and may only initiate a more detailed study thatwould collect this information if this initial phase of theinvestigation indicates a potential increase in brain cancers in theAcreage area.  I am sorry that you have gotten the impression that wewere not including any benign tumors.  In general, we do not includethese in initial reviews but as we do have a few years of dataavailable for brain and central nervous system benign and borderlinetumors we will review these.  As this is a small number of years I havenot broadcasted that we were reviewing benign tumors but hopefully thisemail explains this more clearly.We do notapproach these inquiries with the purpose of 'covering up' ordisproving a community concern; we do approach these requests with thepurpose of using the available data to begin to answer the question ofwhether rates in an area are elevated over what might be expected. This is a detailed type of review in that we strive to make certain all cases in the area are identified in theregistry data, that we compare the rates in the area to the county aswell as the state rates and that we consider other factors (such as arecent growth or decline in population in the area that might effectthe base population estimates).  I know that this is a difficult timefor you and your community and do want you to know that we are workingto review the data.  Should you have any additional questions please donot hesitate to contact me.  

Sharon M. Watkins, PhD

Sr. Environmental Epidemiologist

Florida Department of Health

Analytical Environmental Epidemiology Program

Bureau of Environmental Public Health Medicine

4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin A08

Tallahassee, Florida 32399-1742

Sharon_Watkins@doh.state.fl.us

850-245-4444*3939