New York State Department of Health Announces Series of Public Meetings to Discuss Regional Cancer Studies

Studies Are Part of Governor Cuomo's Cancer Research Initiative to Promote Prevention and Treatment Efforts

Four Communities Identified for Study Based on the New York State Cancer Registry, a Registry-of-Excellence Designated by the CDC, and Updated Cancer Mapping of Small Geographic Areas

State's Cancer Registry Recently Named a Member of the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program (SEER), the Nation's Preeminent Source of Population-Based Cancer Data

ALBANY, N.Y. (July 3, 2018) - The New York State Department of Health today announced that it will be holding public meetings to discuss the launch of cancer studies in four communities across New York State.The studies intend to examine cancer patterns related to demographic, behavioral, occupational and environmental factors in those areas. The purpose of the studies is to gain further understanding of the regional incidence of cancer and to inform interventions aimed at prevention and screening. The studies build on Governor Cuomo's fall commitment to launch a statewide cancer research initiative to enhance prevention efforts and improve access to diagnosis and treatment statewide.

Meetings with New York State Department of Health officials will be held at the following locations within communities that have been designated for study based on the most recent available data for 2011-2015, which showed statistically significant elevated levels of cancer:

Centereach, Farmingville, Selden (Suffolk County)
Tuesday, July 17
7 PM to 9 PM
Hilton Garden Inn – Stony Brook
1 Circle Road, Stony Brook, NY 11794

The Centereach, Farmingville, Selden study area was chosen because there were four different types of cancer that had elevated incidence: bladder cancer, lung cancer, leukemia and thyroid cancer.

Staten Island (Richmond County)
Tuesday, July 17
7 PM to 9 PM
CUNY College of Staten Island
Williamson Theater, 2800 Victory Blvd, Staten Island, NY 10314

As noted during Governor Cuomo's visit in October 2017, Staten Island was chosen because it had the highest incidence rate for all cancers combined among the five New York City boroughs. A major focus of this investigation will be on thyroid cancer, which was significantly elevated compared to the state as a whole.

Glens Falls (Warren County)
Thursday, July 19
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
SUNY Adirondack
Adirondack Hall, 640 Bay Rd, Queensbury, NY 12804

As noted during Governor Cuomo's visit in October 2017, Warren County was chosen because it had the highest incidence rate for all cancers combined of any county in New York. Among the specific types of cancer that will be investigated are lung cancer, laryngeal cancer, esophageal cancer, oral cavity (mouth and throat) cancer and brain tumors.

East Buffalo/Western Cheektowaga (Erie County)
Thursday, July 19
6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Buffalo Museum of Science
1020 Humboldt Pkwy, Buffalo, NY 14211

The East Side Buffalo/Western Cheektowaga study area was chosen because there were six different types of cancer that had elevated incidence there: colorectal cancer, esophageal cancer, kidney cancer, lung cancer, oral cavity (mouth and throat) cancer and prostate cancer.

Communities were identified for inclusion based on either their ranking in the New York State Cancer Registry, a national premiere cancer registry for over 75 years, or by applying well-established statistical techniques at the neighborhood level. These techniques help to identify small geographic areas that have higher than expected rates of cancer.

All individuals who are diagnosed with cancer are reported to the New York State Cancer Registry. The studies will be based on data reported to the Cancer Registry and augmented with data from other sources.

New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said, "We are fortunate in New York state to have one of the highest quality cancer registries in the country, and we have been collecting patient data for over 75 years. This well-established record, as well as local level data analysis to examine patterns and trends in these communities, will help to further inform our cancer control strategies and improve patient outcomes by promoting access to appropriate care."

The goals of the studies are to further understand contributing factors for higher rates of cancer in various regions of the state and to also better inform cancer prevention and screening efforts and promote access to high-quality care. Demographics and socioeconomic status of an area, behavioral and lifestyle factors such as smoking, and the occupational and industrial background of each area will be considered. The Department will also consult with the Department of Environmental Conservation to identify sources of data on environmental factors that have been associated with the cancers under investigation and on any unusual environmental exposures in the areas of study.

About the New York State Cancer Registry

The New York State Cancer Registry was established in 1940 as one of the first cancer registries in the world and is Gold Certified by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries for its completeness and accuracy. The Registry, which was designated by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) as a Registry of Excellence, has been population-based since 1976 and collects reports on cancer diagnoses from health care providers which include the anatomical sites of tumors, the stages at diagnosis, the cell types of the cancer, as well as treatment information and demographic information for those diagnosed with cancer.

About the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program (SEER)

In addition to being recognized as a Registry of Excellence by the CDC, the State's Cancer Registry Program recently became a member of the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program (SEER), the nation's preeminent source of population-based cancer data. SEER data are routinely used by thousands of researchers, clinicians, public health officials, legislators, policymakers, community groups and the public. With this designation, SEER will now include data from over one-third of the nation. The State's Cancer Registry Program may potentially receive more than $14.9 million over 10 years to allow for increased staffing and to bolster surveillance efforts. The Department will begin sharing data on New York cancer cases beginning later this year.

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in New York State with over 110,000 New Yorkers diagnosed annually and 35,000 who die from the disease.

For information on screening and prevention, please see: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/cancer/screening/.

To connect with cancer resources, please see: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/cancer/resources/.