Selection of High Exposure Areas for the Study of Historical Chromium-Associated Lung Cancer in Jersey

Study of Lung Cancer Incidence in Relation to Historic Potential for Exposure to Chromium in Jersey CityApproach• Question: Have lung cancer incidence rates differed within Jersey City in a way that is related to historic chromium exposure?• Compare lung cancer rates in populations grouped by historic potential for exposure to chromiumSteps• Define study population and time period• Determine numbers of “observed” cancer cases• Estimate number of “expected” cancer cases– Based on state rates and study population age• Compare “observed” to “expected”– Standardized incidence ratio (SIR)– Statistical test to determine if difference is likely due to chance aloneCancer Incidence Data• New Jersey State Cancer Registry– 25 years of complete data:1979-2003• All incident cancer cases among New Jersey residents are required by law to be reported– Hospitals– Reporting agreements with other states• Geographic assignment of cases based on reported address of residence at diagnosisClassification of Historic Chromium Exposure Potential for Census Areas in Jersey CityDRAFT FOR PUBLIC COMMENTSept 12, 2006Population Exposure Categorization• Census areas are being categorized as follows:– High historical exposure potential – Medium/Low ( or uncertain) exposure potential– Little/No exposure potential• Based on characteristics and locations of chromium sites relative to populations in the census areaCensus Areas• Population information is ...