National Water-Quality Assessment
National Analysis of Trace Elements

Abstract: Relation of bladder cancer mortality rates in New England to water use data

Citation: Ayotte, J.D. and Robinson, G.R., Jr., U.S. Geological Survey; and Baris, D., Cantor, K. P., Silverman, D.T., Colt, J., Grauman, D., Devesa, S.S., and Fraumeni, J.F., Jr., National Cancer Institute, 2000, Relation of bladder cancer mortality rates in New England to water-use data: in Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference on Arsenic Exposure and Health Effects, Society for Environmental Geochemistry and Health, San Diego, CA.

Data covering the period 1970-94 indicate that bladder cancer mortality rates among men and women are elevated in northern New England. The reasons for these high mortality rates are unclear. The persistent elevation in mortality for bladder cancer among both men and women suggests the possible role of environmental determinants.

Several studies have implicated constituents in drinking water as potential risk factors for bladder cancer. Of particular concern is inorganic arsenic, which is prevalent in water from wells drilled into crystalline bedrock aquifers in northern New England. Although studies indicate in other countries that ingestion of high levels of arsenic is a risk factor for bladder cancer, the effects of low to moderate levels are unclear.

In this study, bladder cancer mortality rates in New England were compared to estimates of 1) self-supplied ground water use from bedrock aquifers; 2) public-supplied ground water use from unconsolidated aquifers; and 3) public-supplied surface water use, controlling for population density. This analysis showed an association between bladder cancer mortality and self-supplied ground water use, in both sexes. Conversely, there was no association with either public ground water or public surface water use.

These findings suggest that water use from private domestic wells in bedrock aquifers may be a significant explanatory variable for the excess bladder cancer mortality in northern New England. Further, because arsenic is prevalent in water from bedrock aquifers, these findings suggest that arsenic may contribute to the excess bladder cancer mortality, although other water contaminants may also play a role.

National Analysis of Trace Elements
National Water-Quality Assessment