title: Several Site-specific Cancers are Increased in the Volcanic Area in Sicily.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Worldwide, thyroid cancer incidence is increased in many volcanic areas. Whether the incidence of other types of cancers are also increased is not known.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed cancer registries covering 82% of the population of Sicily to compare the incidence of 34 site-specific types of cancer in area around the volcano Mt. Etna (where thyroid cancer is very high) with adjacent non-volcanic areas. Differences in crude incidence rate ratios (IRR) between the two areas were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Considering 72,197 incident cases, thyroid cancer (IRR=1.68 in females and 1.40 in males) and lymphatic leukemia (IRR: females=1.48, males=1.39) were significantly increased in the volcanic area in both men and women. Hodgkin's lymphoma, stomach and breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men were also significantly increased in the volcanic area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Several, but not all types of cancers are significantly increased in the volcanic area of Sicily, indicating that an active volcanic environment may be a risk factor for cancer other than thyroid cancer.
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Catania, Italy mruss@hotmail.it.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Pasqualino
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malandrino
authors.affiliation: Sicilian Regional Epidemiology Observatory, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Walter Pollina
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Addario
authors.affiliation: Sicilian Regional Epidemiology Observatory, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Dardanoni
authors.affiliation: Oncology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vigneri
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pellegriti
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Sebastiano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Squatrito
authors.affiliation: Endocrinology, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Garibaldi-Nesima Medical Center, Catania, Italy Humanitas, Catania Oncology Center, Catania, Italy.
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vigneri
mesh_terms: D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012042:Registries; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012802:Sicily
keywords: Cancer epidemiology; Cancer incidence; Mt. Etna pollution; Volcanic Carcinogens; Volcanic environment