Several Site-specific Cancers are Increased in the Volcanic Area in Sicily

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.

Materials and 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.

Conclusion: 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.