Download April 1, 2004 - US Green Building Council

April 1, 2004
Nigel Howard, Vice President
U.S. Green Building Council
1015 18th St. NW, Suite 805
Washington, DC 20036
Dear Mr. Howard:
Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center is a not-for-profit, community owned, free-standing cancer treatment
center, which provides radiation therapy, cancer support services, education, research and communitybased early detection services. With locations in three southeast Louisiana communities---Baton Rouge,
Covington and Hammond---Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center serves a 15-parish region with a total
population of 1.4 million. I am writing in response to recent comments about Louisiana’s Industrial
Corridor given by Wilma Subra from New Iberia, Louisiana at the Public Hearing on February 18, 2004.
The majority of the Louisiana facilities mentioned in Ms. Subra’s testimony are located in the Louisiana’s
Industrial Corridor.
For years, Louisiana’s Industrial Corridor –--parishes bordering the lower Mississippi River with a large
number of plants and refineries---has been called “Cancer Alley”. The implication is that Louisiana
residents are at higher risk of developing cancer because we live in Louisiana and/or communities in the
Industrial Corridor, resulting in increased exposure to carcinogens produced by industry. However, the
cancer problem for Louisiana’s citizens is cancer mortality, rather than incidence. Louisiana’s high cancer
death rates are not due to a lack of high quality treatment programs or because by living here we are
more likely to develop cancer. Those are myths. In fact, Louisiana Tumor Registry data reports that
incidence rates for all cancers combined in Louisiana and the Industrial Corridor specifically, are the same
as, or lower than U.S. rates, except for white males. Tobacco use among white males in Louisiana--which is higher than in the U.S. as reported by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)--- is believed to
contribute significantly to the excess incidence rates in Louisiana white males. Lung cancer accounted
for 20% of all cancers in males.
In contrast to incidence rates that were similar to, or lower than U.S. rates, Louisiana’s cancer death rates
for all cancers combined and the most common cancers, are consistently higher than U.S. cancer death
rates for all demographic groups. Louisiana’s high cancer death rates is due to late diagnosis—causing
treatment to be less effective—and lack of access to care, preventive measures, and early detection.
Under-utilization of cancer screenings by Louisianans has been reported by the CDC and is a contributing
factor to Louisiana's high cancer mortality rates. About 20% of our state’s adult population has no health
insurance. The uninsured possess limited access to early detection tests. Additionally, others with health
insurance do not follow recommended cancer screening guidelines.
The years of credible scientific evidence available on cancer incidence and causes does not support the
assertion that Louisiana’s Industrial Corridor is a “Cancer Alley”. Data from Louisiana Tumor Registry,
which has been reviewed and affirmed by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries,
the CDC and the National Cancer Institute’s SEER Program has reported otherwise since the 1980’s.
Thank you for the opportunity to address this issue. Please feel free to contact me if you have any
questions or require further information.
Sincerely,
Todd D. Stevens
President/CEO
4950 Essen Lane • Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70809-3432 • (225) 767-0847 • Fax (225) 766-0218
15728 Medical Center Drive • Hammond, Louisiana 70403-1434 • (985) 542-5000 • Fax (985) 542-1138
39 Starbrush Circle Covington, Louisiana 70433-3661 • (985) 875-2234 • Fax (985) 871-1447
Accreditations
American College of Radiology • American College of Surgeons