title: Risk of cancer as a result of community exposure to gasoline vapors.
abstract: The Tranguch Gasoline Spill leaked 50,000-900,000 gallons of gasoline from underground storage tanks, potentially exposing an area of Hazle Township and Hazleton, Pennsylvania, to chronic low levels of benzene since at least 1990. A retrospective cohort study of 663 individuals representing 275 households assessed whether affected residents were at increased risk for cancer from 1990-2000 compared with the Pennsylvania populace. Age-adjusted standard incidence ratios (SIRs) were calculated using Pennsylvania rates to determine expected numbers. The age-adjusted SIR for the gasoline-affected area was 4.40 (95% confidence interval: 1.09-10.24) for leukemia. These results suggest an association between living within the area affected by the Tranguch Gasoline Spill and increased risk for leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. app8@cdc.gov
authors.forename: Ami S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Evelyn O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Talbott
authors.forename: Jeanne V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Zborowski
authors.forename: Juley A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rycheck
authors.forename: Danielle
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dell
authors.forename: Xiaohui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schwerha
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001554:Benzene / Q000633:toxicity*; D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental / Q000633:toxicity*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005742:Gasoline / Q000633:toxicity*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007938:Leukemia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D002274:Carcinogens, Environmental; D005742:Gasoline; D001554:Benzene