The objective of this study is to elucidate the association between high-arsenic artesian well water and cancers in endemic area of blackfoot disease, a unique peripheral vascular disease related to continuous arsenic exposure. As compared with the general population in Taiwan, both the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) and cumulative mortality rate were significantly high in blackfoot disease-endemic areas for cancers of bladder, kidney, skin, lung, liver, and colon. The SMRs for cancers of bladder, kidney, skin, lung, liver, and colon were 1100, 772, 534, 320, 170, and 160, respectively, for males, and 2009, 1119, 652, 413, 229, and 168, respectively, for females. A dose-response relationship was observed between SMRs of the cancers and blackfoot disease prevalence rate of the villages and townships in the endemic areas. SMRs of cancers were greater in villages where only artesian wells were used as the drinking water source than in villages using both artesian and shallow wells, and even greater than in villages using shallow wells only.

https://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/45/11_Part_2/5895.full.pdf

Malignant Neoplasms among Residents of a Blackfoot Disease-endemic Area in Taiwan: High-Arsenic Artesian Well Water and Cancers

A total of 69 bladder cancer, 76 lung cancer and 59 liver cancer deceased cases and 368 alive community controls group-matched on age and sex were studied to evaluate the association between high-arsenic artesian well water and cancers in the endemic area of blackfoot disease (BFD), a unique peripheral vascular disease related to continuous arsenic exposure. According to a standardized structured questionnaire, information on risk factors was obtained through proxy interview of the cases and personal interview of the controls. A positive dose-response relationship was observed between the exposure to artesian well water and cancers of bladder, lung and liver. The age-sex-adjusted odds ratios of developing bladder, lung and liver cancers for those who had used artesian well water for 40 or more years were 3.90, 3.39, and 2.67, respectively, as compared with those who never used artesian well water. Multiple binary logistic regression analyses showed that the dose-response relationships and odds ratios remained much the same while other risk factors were further adjusted.

A retrospective study on malignant neoplasms of bladder, lung and liver in blackfoot disease endemic area in Taiwan.

(1986). Clinical and Environmental Aspects of Arsenic Toxicity. CRC Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences: Vol. 23, No. 4, pp. 315-347.

Clinical and environmental aspects of arsenic toxicity.

Metabolism of 74As-labeled trivalent and pentavalent inorganic arsenic in mice

Selenium levels in human blood, urine, and hair in response to exposure via drinking water.

Introduction During the evolution of brain-tumor localization by means of positron-emitting radioactive isotopes over the past four years, a large amount of data on the behavior of inorganic arsenic in man has been accumulated.1,2The experimentally determined distribution and turnover of radioarsenic (As74) in normal tissues, as well as in various intracranial neoplasms from over 100 patients studied, constitute the material of this report. Methods A. Preparation and Administration of the Isotope. As74is produced by deuteron bombardment of germanium powder in the cyclotron. A modification of the separation described by Green and Kafalas3is now used to obtain carrier-free activity, largely as the trivalent arsenite. In this procedure, the irradiated germanium powder is dissolved in nitrohydrochloric acid (aqua regia) and the germanium driven off as the tetrachloride gas by heating. Hydrobromic acid is added to reduce the arsenic to the trivalent state, and the latter

Radioarsenic in plasma, urine, normal tissues, and intracranial neoplasms; distribution and turnover after intravenous injection in man.

Positron-emitting isotopes of arsenic and copper, injected intravenously, were used for the localization of braiiwn tumors and other intracranial lesions. Scanning was accomplished by coincidence counting of the paired annihilation gamma rays from the positron-emitting copper or arsenic. The biological reactions of inorganic arsenate and arsenite and of copper vetsenate in man are discussed. Radioassay of biopsies of the principal normal cephalic tissues, of various types of neoplasms, of hematomas, abscesses, and zones of demyelination was carried out. Concentrations of isotopes were increased in all tumors. Hematomas, abscesses, and large zones of demyelination also had concentrations high enough to permit localization in the majority of patients. The results of more than 3000 scans on 334 patients are summarized. A correct diagnosis was made in 80% of 249 tumors scanned with arsenic and in 70% of 84 tumors scanned with copper. 19 references. (C.H.)

John Mealey

Papers

Radioarsenic in plasma, urine, normal tissues, and intracranial neoplasms; distribution and turnover after intravenous injection in man.

Localization of focal intracranial lesions by scanning of rays from position-emitting isotopes.