SpringerLink
Log in

Environmental Levels of Volatile Organic Compounds, Race, and Socioeconomic Markers Correlate with Areas of High Colorectal Cancer Incidence

  • Published:
Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Ambient levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released from nearby industrial plants have shown positive associations with increased colorectal cancer (CRC) rates. The objective of this study is to analyze the distribution of CRC in the context of socioeconomic status and its correlation with community environmental data.

Methods

A retrospective study analyzed CRC patients from 2021 to 2023. The census tracts of the patients’ residential addresses were obtained, and CRC rates were calculated for each census tract. Socioeconomic data was gathered on these communities. Environmental VOC measurements were obtained from the National Scale Air Toxics Assessment. All datapoints were compared to statewide levels.

Results

Three census tracts in the county had higher CRC cases comparatively. These areas exhibited higher incidence rates and localized clusters of CRC cases, higher distribution of Black or African Americans, lower household incomes, lower home values, and lower educational attainment. VOC measurements in these census tracts had higher levels compared to county and state averages: specifically, 10.68% higher than county and 48.07% higher than state benzene levels (0.52 µg/m3 clusters vs 0.47µg/m3 county vs 0.35 µg/m3 state), 10.84% and 129.15% higher toluene (1.65 µg/m3 vs 1.49 vs 0.72 µg/m3), and 15.64% and 141.87% higher butadiene (0.048 µg/m3 vs 0.041 µg/m3 vs 0.020 µg/m3).

Conclusion

This study illustrates a positive correlation between higher ambient exposure to VOCs with increased CRC incidence. These findings underscore the potential interplay of environmental factors, socioeconomic determinants, and environmental injustice when considering strategies to address health disparities and CRC incidence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price includes VAT (Thailand)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Siegel RL, Wagle NS, Cercek A, Smith, RA, Jemal A. Colorectal cancer statistics. CA: a Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2023;73(3):233–54. https://doi.org/10.3322/caac.21772.

  2. Daly MC, Paquette IM. Surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) and SEER-medicare databases: use in clinical research for improving colorectal cancer outcomes. Clin Colon Rectal Surg. 2019;10:50. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0038-1673355.

  3. Shrider EA, Creamer J. Poverty in the United States: 2022, U.S. Government Publishing Office, Washington, DC, September 2023. https://www.census.gov/library/publications/2023/demo/p60-280.html. Accessed 5 May 2024.

  4. Doubeni CA, Laiyemo AO, Major JM, Schootman M, Lian M, Park Y, Graubard BI, Hollenbeck AR, Sinha R. Socioeconomic status and the risk of colorectal cancer. Cancer. 2012;118(14):3636–44. https://doi.org/10.1002/cncr.26677.

  5. Hajat A, Hsia C, O'Neill MS. Socioeconomic disparities and air pollution exposure: a global review. Curr Environ Health Rep. 2015;2(4):440–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40572-015-0069-5.

  6. Morelli V, Ziegler C, Fawibe O. Environmental justice and underserved communities. Prim Care. 2017;24:411. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pop.2016.09.016.

  7. Agency, U. S. E. P. What are volatile organic compounds (VOCs)?, 2013; https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/what-are-volatile-organic-compounds-vocs#:~:text=Air%20Quality%20(IAQ),What%20are%20volatile%20organic%20compounds%20(VOCs)%3F,paints%2C%20pharmaceuticals%2C%20and%20refrigerants. Accessed 5 May 2024.

  8. Pan Q, Liu QY, Zheng J, Li YH, **ang S, Sun XJ, He XS. Volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds in landfill gas: composition characteristics and health risks. Environ Int. 2023;174:107886. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.107886.

  9. Isacson P, Bean JA, Splinter R, Olson DB, Kohler J. Drinking water and cancer incidence in Iowa: III. Association of cancer with indices of contamination. Am J Epidemiol. 1985;126(6):856–69. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a114056.

  10. Paulu C, Aschengrau A, Ozonoff D. Tetrachloroethylene-contaminated drinking water in Massachusetts and the risk of colon-rectum, lung, and other cancers. Environ Health Perspect. 1999;107(4):265–71. https://doi.org/10.1289/ehp.99107265.

  11. Tsao C, Song H, Bartha R. Metabolism of benzene, toluene, and xylene hydrocarbons in soil. Appl Environ Microbiol. 1998;64(12):4924–9. https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.64.12.4924-4929.1998.

  12. Dutta A, Roychoudhury S, Chowdhury S, et al. Changes in sputum cytology, airway inflammation and oxidative stress due to chronic inhalation of biomass smoke during cooking in premenopausal rural Indian women. Int J Hyg Environ Health. 2013;216:301–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2012.05.005.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Samadi MT, Shakerkhatibi M, Poorolajal J, et al. Association of long term exposure to outdoor volatile organic compounds (BTXS) with pro-inflammatory biomarkers and hematologic parameters in urban adults: a cross-sectional study in Tabriz, Iran. Ecotoxicol Environ Saf. 2019;180:152–9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.05.008.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Cerofolini L, Fragai M, Luchinat C. Mechanism and inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases. Curr Med Chem. 2019;26(15):2609–33. https://doi.org/10.2174/0929867325666180326163523.

  15. Dinarello CA. The paradox of pro-inflammatory cytokines in cancer. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2006;13(3):477. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10555-006-9000-8.

  16. Balkwill F. TNF-alpha in promotion and progression of cancer. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2006;25(3):409–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10555-006-9005-3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Balkwill F, Charles KA, Mantovani A. Smoldering and polarized inflammation in the initiation and promotion of malignant disease. Cancer Cell. 2005;7(3):211–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2005.02.013.

  18. García-Pérez J, Fernández de Larrea-Baz N, Lope V, Molina AJ, O'Callaghan-Gordo C, Alonso MH, Rodríguez-Suárez MM, Mirón-Pozo B, Alguacil J, Gómez-Acebo I, Ascunce N, Vanaclocha-Espi M, Amiano P, Chirlaque MD, Simó V, Jiménez-Moleón JJ, Tardón A, Moreno V, Castaño-Vinyals G, Martín V, Aragonés N, Pérez-Gómez B, Kogevinas M, Pollán M. Residential proximity to industrial pollution sources and colorectal cancer risk: a multicase-control study (MCC-Spain). Environ Int. 2020;144:106055. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2020.106055.

  19. Gérin M, Siemiatycki J, Désy M, Krewski D. Associations between several sites of cancer and occupational exposure to benzene, toluene, xylene, and styrene: results of a case-control study in Montreal. Am J Ind Med. 1998;34(2):144–56. https://doi.org/10.1002/(sici)1097-0274(199808)34:2<144::aid-ajim7>3.0.co;2-x.

  20. Mayhand KN, Handorf EA, Ortiz AG, Gonzalez ET, Devlin A, Sorice KA, Esnaola N, Fisher S, Lynch SM. Effect of neighborhood and individual-level socioeconomic factors on colorectal cancer screening adherence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2018;18(9):4398. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094398.

  21. Louisville-Jefferson. County Metro Government. STAR Program History. 2024. https://louisvilleky.gov/government/air-pollution-control-district/star-program-history. Accessed 5 May 2024.

  22. Tannenbaum SL, Hernandez M, Zheng DD, Sussman DA, Lee DJ. Individual- and neighborhood-level predictors of mortality in Florida colorectal cancer patients. PLoS One. 2014;9(8):e106322. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0106322.

  23. Meissner HI, Klabunde CN, Breen N, Zapka JM. Breast and colorectal cancer screening: U.S. primary care physicians’ reports of barriers. Am J Prev Med. 2012;12:E95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2012.08.016.

  24. May FP, Almario CV, Ponce N, Spiegel BM. Racial minorities are more likely than whites to report lack of provider recommendation for colon cancer screening. Am J Gastroenterol. 2015;110(10):1388–94. https://doi.org/10.1038/ajg.2015.138.

  25. CDC. Quick facts: colorectal cancer screening in 2020; adults aged 50 to 75 years, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. 2024; https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/statistics/use-screening-tests-BRFSS.htm#data-table-test-use-by-race-ethnicity-suppressed.csv.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, University of Louisville, 550 South Jackson Street, Louisville, KY, 40292, USA

    Allie ** & Sandy Kavalukas

  2. School of Public Health and Information Sciences, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA

    Natalie DuPré

  3. School of Medicine, Envirome Institute, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USA

    Rochelle Holm & Ted Smith

Authors
  1. Allie **
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Natalie DuPré
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rochelle Holm
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ted Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sandy Kavalukas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sandy Kavalukas.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

**, A., DuPré, N., Holm, R. et al. Environmental Levels of Volatile Organic Compounds, Race, and Socioeconomic Markers Correlate with Areas of High Colorectal Cancer Incidence. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-024-02030-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-024-02030-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation