Key Points Several environmental projects at NCI include large population studies to determine whether certain factors in the environment contribute to high cancer rates, as well as laboratory projects to study the cellular mechanisms underlying the development of specific tumors that may arise after exposure to environmental toxins In fiscal year 2002, NCI's support of environmental carcinogenesis studies totaled about $636 million. Estimates for spending in 2003 are about $714 million. The Report on Carcinogens, produced by the National Toxicology Program, contains a list of substances that may pose a potential hazard to human health.

1. What is the National Cancer Institute's role in informing the public about cancer-causing substances in the environment?

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is the federal government's prinicipal agency for cancer research and training. Its $4 billion budget supports ground-breaking efforts in the fields of cancer biology, causation, prevention, detection, treatment and survivorship. Regulatory agencies use results from NCI's research programs to formulate public policy.

Several environmental projects are currently a part of NCI's research portfolio. These include large population studies to determine whether certain factors in the environment contribute to high cancer rates, as well as laboratory projects to study the cellular mechanisms underlying the development of specific tumors that may arise after exposure to environmental toxins. As described in the new budget proposal, (http://plan.cancer.gov/genes.html), new research initiatives include gene-environment studies in which scientists use the tools of molecular genetics in epidemiologic studies to understand how variations in genes combine with environmental factors to cause cancer.

NCI's extramural and intramural research portfolio can be searched at: http://crisp.cit.nih.gov/.

2. How much money does NCI spend on environmental research?

In fiscal year 2002, NCI's support of environmental carcinogenesis studies totaled about $636 million. Estimates for spending in 2003 are about $714 million. For research related to breast cancer and the environment, NCI funding in fiscal year 2002 was about $79 million.

3. What NCI resources are available on the environmental causes of cancer ?

• Fact Sheets available on NCI's Web site at http://cis.nci.nih.gov/fact/index.htm include the following, with the year of publication or revision noted:

Asbestos, 2001
Anti-perspirants and Breast Cancer, 2000
Cancer Clusters, 2001
Artificial Sweeteners, 1997
Formaldehyde, 1999
Fertility Drugs and Ovarian Cancer, 2000
Cancer in Children, 2002
Environmental Tobacco Smoke, 2000
Fluoridated Water, 2000
Radon, 1998
DES, 2002
Tests for Carcinogenicity, 1999
Oral Contraceptives and Cancer Risk, 2002

• NCI Publications - NCI's on-line publications ordering service: https://cissecure.nci.nih.gov/ncipubs

• Atlas of Cancer Mortality in the United States: 1950-1994 - Color-coded maps for over 3,000 counties across the United States that describe the geographical differences in death rates of about 40 cancers: http://www3.cancer.gov/atlasplus/

• Long Island Breast Cancer Study Project (LIBCSP) - A multi-study investigation of possible environmental causes of breast cancer on Long Island: http://epi.grants.cancer.gov/LIBCSP

• Geographic Information System (GIS-H) - Information on the development of an advanced computer tool to support research on breast cancer and the environment on Long Island: http://www.healthgis-li.com

• Press Releases are available on NCI's main Web site: http://newscenter.cancer.gov/pressreleases/atlas.html Research Contributions of Earlier Atlases, December 1999.

• NCI's Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program is the most authoritative source of information on cancer incidence and survival in the United States: http://seer.cancer.gov

• NCI's Toll-Free Cancer Information Service - For information about cancer, and to request publications: 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237) or (1-800-332-8615 (TTY))

4. Where can I find out which chemicals cause cancer?

The Report on Carcinogens, produced by the National Toxicology Program, contains a list of substances that may pose a potential hazard to human health. The most recent version of the report can be found at: http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/roc/.

Other information is also available at:

• The International Agency for Cancer Research: http://www.iarc.fr/pageroot/database.html

• The National Toxicology Program: http://ntp-server.niehs.nih.gov/

5. What other government resources are available?

• National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) - NIEHS is the chief federal agency responsible for research on the environment and health. http://www.niehs.nih.gov and public inquiries can be directed to the NIEHS Office of Communications at (919) 541-3345.

• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) - An agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) that advises the Environmental Protection Agency. It is the principal federal agency involved with hazardous waste issues and has fact sheets on various chemicals/agents. http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov. ATSDR Information Center: 1-888-422-8737.

• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - A government regulatory agency charged with protecting human health and safeguarding the natural environment. http://www.epa.gov.

Within EPA:

• Envirofacts Warehouse: http://www.epa.gov/enviro

• Enviromapper: http://www.epa.gov/epahome/comm.htm

• Environmental Atlas: http://www.epa.gov/ceisweb1/ceishome/atlas

• National Pesticide Information Center: http://npic.orst.edu/

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - An agency of the Department of Health and Human Services which promotes health and quality of life by preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability. http://www.cdc.gov

Within CDC:

• National Center for Environmental Health ((NCEH) Health Line: 1-888-232-6789. http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/

• For information about the National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals, March 2001, call 1-866-670-6052 or go to http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/dls/report/PDF/CompleteReport.pdf

• National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) - Collects data to monitor the nation's health: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/

• GIS and Public Health Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/gis.htm

• National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH)- A Federal Agency responsible for making recommendations for the prevention of work-related disease and injury: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh, or call 1-800-356-4674

6. What additional services are available?

• National Pesticide Information Center: 1-800-858-7378

• EPA Superfund/Hazardous Waste Call Center: 1-800-424-9346 (800-553-7672 (TTY))

• National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) Health Line: 1-888-232-6789

• National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH): 1-800-356-4674

• NCI's Toll-Free Cancer Information Service: 1-800-4-CANCER (1-800-422-6237), (1-800-332-8615 (TTY))

General Health Information

• National Institutes of Health (NIH) - A single access point to consumer health resources at the NIH, the DHHS agency responsible for biomedical research.http://health.nih.gov/

• Healthfinder - A Web site created by DHHS to help consumers quickly find health and human services information. http://www.healthfinder.gov

• Medline - The world's most extensive collection of published medical information, coordinated by the National Library of Medicine, DHHS. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi

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