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Environmental Issues

Environmental Issues. and Cancer Prevention Strategies. Environmental Factors in the Development of Cancers. Development of cancer is a multi-stage process influenced by a variety of environmental factors. Categories: radiation infections chemicals.

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Environmental Issues

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  1. Environmental Issues and Cancer Prevention Strategies

  2. Environmental Factors in the Development of Cancers Development of cancer is a multi-stage process influenced by a variety of environmental factors. Categories: • radiation • infections • chemicals

  3. Environmental Factors in the Development of Cancers The largest environmental contributors appear to be: • tobacco smoke • diet

  4. Environmental Factors in the Development of Cancers Other environmental contributors: • infections • natural and manmade chemicals in foods, drinking water, indoor air (home and occupation), outdoor air

  5. Strategies for Preventing Cancers Prevention of exposure to environmental agents through: • education programs directed at avoiding or reducing exposures • regulations that decrease environmental levels

  6. Key Issues and Recommendations

  7. Issue 1: Exposure information is limited and not easily accessible Recommendations: • Improve accessibility and utility of environmental monitoring data by computerizing databases and geo-coding data • Support development of a state environmental health tracking system

  8. Issue 1: Exposure information is limited and not easily accessible Recommendations: • Find ways to enhance Maryland’s regulatory data collection efforts • Increase the capacity of the State to test for environmental agents and other biomarkers of exposure in urine, blood, and other tissues

  9. Issue 1: Exposure information is limited and not easily accessible Recommendations: • Explore ways to capture more information about commercial and non-commercial pesticide use • Explore ways to increase ambient air toxics monitoring • Support the development of a strategy for comprehensive, private well monitoring

  10. Issue 2: Assessment of current control programs is inadequate Recommendation: • Support efforts to measure the effectiveness of existing pollution control programs and policies, including their impact on toxic exposures and cancer

  11. Issue 3: Limited information exists for occupational risk factors Recommendation: • Explore opportunities for matching employee databases with the State’s cancer database to investigate Maryland’s occupational cancer burden

  12. Issue 3: Limited information exists for occupational risk factors Recommendation: • Establish an interdisciplinary task force to develop recommendations for occupational cancer surveillance in Maryland

  13. Issue 4: Need collaboration between state and academic institutions Recommendations: • Develop formal and adequately funded linkages between academia and government to bring teaching, research and practice agendas closer together • Promote training of physicians and environmental scientists in occupational and environmental cancer research

  14. Issue 4: Need collaboration between state and academic institutions Recommendations: • Develop resources for responding to citizen’s concerns regarding cancer clusters that includes contact persons throughout local universities

  15. Issue 5: Recognize and address infections that enhance cancer risk Recommendations: • Encourage screening for HPV and support efforts to develop vaccine • Promote immunization for Hepatitis B virus

  16. Issue 5: Recognize and address infections that enhance cancer risk Recommendations: • Encourage physicians to test for and treat Helicobacter pylori infection • Support stronger efforts to control blood borne infections

  17. Issue 6: Different cancer rates between communities of different socio-economic status and ethnicity Recommendations: • Develop a public participation and involvement plan to support State cancer control initiatives • Develop community health profiles to support decision making & priority setting • Undertake comparative research to better understand differences in cancer rates

  18. Issue 6: Different cancer rates between communities of different socio-economic status and ethnicity Recommendations: • Support community health centers in local communities to increase screening & awareness of environmental health issues • Make healthcare more culturally acceptable and appropriate

  19. Final Recommendation • Primary prevention needs to be an ongoing focus of Maryland’s Cancer Council planning process to ensure that environmental issues receive appropriate attention

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