September 1998 Forum Summary
Cancer and Environment Forums

The Ad Hoc Discussion Group meeting was held on September 17 at Cornell University in Ithaca. This meeting was structured to incorporate several suggestions made by participants at previous meetings. To begin, participants were asked to dialogue with the group about their own current activities with regard to breast cancer risk reduction, appropriate and safe use of pesticides, and diet/lifestyle activities.

Dialogue on translational research of pesticides and other environmental chemicals. Suzanne Snedeker, BCERF Research Project Leader, and Renu Gandhi, BCERF Research Associate, organized their update to provide extra time for dialogue with participants. Suzanne and Renu responded to questions about the pesticides and the heavy metal, cadmium, which they are evaluating. There was discussion about various aspects of use and exposure to these possible risk factors, and about sampling procedures. Renu also covered the topics she plans to address in upcoming BCERF fact sheets on pesticide residues and food safety.

Relaunching of BCERF's World Wide Web site. Marie Stewart, BCERF "Webmaster," provided an overview of the new features of the site, and participants discussed ways to increase awareness of the site among those that may benefit from its many resources.

NYS Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM). Jim Tette, Director, provided an informative overview of IPM in both the agricultural and community setting. He described the expectations of various segments of NYS society for IPM projects, and sought input from the group on what kinds of goals and objectives they felt should be set for such projects. The group discussed the "IPM Continuum," with much interest in the sample programs, such as those of fresh-market sweet corn growers and berry growers. Jim responded to questions from the group about verification methods, and about any evidence of less pesticides in the environment. He displayed charts showing a dramatic reduction in pesticide use in certain crops in NYS between 1979 and 1992. The group also discussed recent community IPM initiatives, such as the training programs for IPM in the schools that took place over the summer.

In response to concerns about ionizing radiation as a known risk factor for breast cancer, expressed by members of the Ad Hoc Discussion Group:

• BCERF recognizes that ionizing radiation exposure is a known risk factor for breast cancer. BCERF supports the statement of the National Action Plan on Breast Cancer (NAPBC) Etiology Working Group that "Ionizing Radiation is widely recognized as an initiator of cancer through direct damage to the genome. Research has produced an impressive body of knowledge about the relationship between ionizing radiation exposure and risk of human breast cancer."
  
  
• A chart published in the first edition, of The Ribbon Volume 1, Number 1, did not place ionizing radiation in the column labeled "established risk factors for breast cancer." Recognizing ionizing radiation as a known risk factor, plus additional scientific information on other possible risk factors, have made this chart out of date and it is no longer used or circulated by BCERF.
  
  
• In an effort to meet the interests and the information needs of its participants, at a future Ad Hoc Discussion Group meeting BCERF hopes to bring a representative from NAPBC Etiology Working Group Radiation Subgroup to discuss their results and recommendations. A report on the Workshop on Medical Ionizing Radiation and Human Breast Cancer Risk can be viewed on the World Wide Web at: www.napbc.org/napbc/wkshp/wkshpsummary.html#suggestions. Or contact the NAPBC at (202) 401-9587.

Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors
Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine
Vet Box 31, Ithaca, NY 14853-6401

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