Public Health releases report on cancer on Vashon-Maury Island

KING COUNTY, WA - A new analysis of cancer on Vashon-Maury Island (VMI) shows that rates are similar to those found throughout Washington State.

The analysis is contained in a report being released today by Public Health - Seattle & King County, the Washington State Department of Health and the Washington State Department of Ecology. The cancer data analysis was a follow-up to a July 2000 report documenting arsenic and lead contamination on VMI. The full report can be found online (PDF).

"We did not find a pattern of higher rates, so we are able to rule out a substantially higher risk for people living on Vashon and Maury Islands," said Dr. Alonzo Plough, Director for Public Health - Seattle and King County.

Data on cancer were analyzed because exposure to high levels of arsenic can cause cancer in people. "We know there is the potential for exposure, and we attempted to detect whether cancer was elevated as a result of exposures," said David Solet, an epidemiologist from Public Health who served as lead on the report.

The report compared cancer rates on VMI with rates in Washington State, King County and every other county in the state. The focus was on types of cancer related to arsenic exposure-cancer of the lung, bladder, skin, prostate, kidney and liver.

The report's authors described rates for specific cancers on VMI, which were in some cases higher than those elsewhere in the state and in other instances lower. However, the report did not find any pattern of higher rates.

"Finding a mixture of high and low rates is normal in an area with a small population, such as Vashon," said Solet. "Statistical tests did not show any differences between VMI and Washington State or King County."

Because arsenic is a known human carcinogen, Public Health continues to recommend that Vashon and Maury Island residents take prudent precautions to minimize their exposure to potentially contaminated soils, including:

• Making sure that children play in areas away from bare soil.
• Covering over frequently-used areas of bare soil with grass, gravel, or woodchips.
• Wearing a dust mask when working in areas where dust may be stirred up.
• Washing your pets frequently.
• Having children wash their hands and faces after playing outdoors.
• Washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly before eating.
• Dusting and damp mopping your house frequently to reduce contact with dust.
• Remove shoes worn in bare soil areas before entering the home.

For more information on precautions people can take to reduce exposure to potentially contaminated soils, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Soil Study Summary and Support Information on the Public Health website.

This document, as well as the VMI Cancer Report, may also be requested by calling Public Health at 206-296-4692, or by email at maury-vashon.soils@kingcounty.gov.