Community Days and the Hamburg Borough
cases on race, birth year (within 1 year), and state
Center.
of residence at the time of diagnosis.
4. Conducting an environmental health grand
Five hundred twenty-six case-control sets were
rounds presentation for the local medical
included in the first phase of the study. Computer-
community in October 2003 at Reading Hospital.
assisted telephone interviews were conduced with
Health Studies
history and other exposure information. The
Health studies are conducted to determine the
exposure periods included 2 years prior to the
relationship between exposure to hazardous substances
child's birth for parents and from birth to 1 year
and adverse health effects. They also define health
before the year of diagnosis.
problems that require further investigation through,
In the second phase of the study, the relationship
for example, a health surveillance or epidemiologic
between the childhood brain cancer risk and
study. Following are examples of health studies or
investigations that ATSDR conducted or supported in
pollutants was examined. Blood specimens were
Pennsylvania.
collected from the 147 mothers of the case and
Medical Records Review--In September 2003,
control children who were diagnosed at less than
the University of Pennsylvania released its
5 years of age (reference age for controls) during
ATSDR-funded "Medical Records Review of a
the most recent 2 years. The data analysis was
Group of Residents Near the Precision National
focused on the 10 analytes that had a concentration
Plating Services Site." Physicians at the university
level above the detection limit in at least 60% of
solicited and reviewed medical records provided
the participating mothers. The draft final report has
by medical professionals for both current and
been completed, and is in the process of an external
former occupants of the nine residences closest to
peer review.
the former chrome-plating facility in a rural area
National Exposure Registry: Trichloroethylene
near the town of Clarks Summit. The purpose of
(TCE) Subregistry--The National Exposure
this review was to address lingering community
Registry (NER) comprises chemical-specific
concerns about illnesses in the community
subregistries to aid in assessing the long-term
and a possible relationship of these illnesses
health consequences of low-level, long-term
exposures to hazardous chemicals at hazardous
concluded that the medical conditions recorded
waste sites. TCE, a synthetic chemical not
among the current or former residents in the study
occurring naturally in the environment, was
the first chemical subregistry of the NER. The
the site.
Pennsylvania site included in the TCE subregistry
Multistate Case-Control Study of Childhood
is Crossley Farm/Hereford Township in Berks
Brain Cancers--The role of environmental
County. Health outcome rates for the TCE
chemicals in childhood brain cancer etiology
Subregistry are being compared with national rates.
is not clearly understood. Because brain cancer
Significantly excessive health effects reported
in children has become a major concern in
by the TCE Subregistry members include speech
communities near hazardous waste sites, ATSDR
impairment; hearing impairment; anemia and
conducted this population-based case-control study
other blood disorders; effects of stroke; urinary
to examine the association between the risk of
tract disorders; liver problems; kidney problems;
childhood brain cancer and living near the NPL
diabetes; and skin rashes, eczema, or other skin
sites. Cases diagnosed at less than 10 years of age
allergies.
during 19931997 with first primary cancer of
the brain, excluding lymphomas, in Florida, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York (excluding
For more information, contact ATSDR toll-free
New York City) were identified from the statewide
at 1-888-42ATSDR (1-888-422-8737) or visit the
cancer registries. Controls were selected by
ATSDR Web page at www.atsdr.cdc.gov.
November 2003
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