Stomach cancer and soil metal content

Abstract

Letter to the Editor STOMACH CANCER AND SOIL METAL CONTENT SIR.-Stocks & Davies (1964) reported an association between deaths from gastric cancer in North Wales and a high soil zinc/ copper ratio in the household gardens of these persons. Maunder (1974) suggested that further evidence is needed before the general significance ofthis association can be assessed.

Health risks from exposure to cadmium in soil

“…We identified a small but significant excess of carcinoma of the ovary but thought it extremely unlikely that this could be explained by exposure to cadmium; the histology of the two reported neoplasms was different and one of the patients resided at an address with a normal soil cadmium content. Hospital admissions were not increased for essential benign hypertension, hypertensive heart disease, acute nephritis, other nephritis and nephrosis, and calculus of the urinary system,3 or from gastric cancer which had in North Wales been associated with similar patterns of contamination of the soil with heavy metal 4. These findings are not explored by Elliott et al .…”

Toxicological Profile for Zinc

“…However, the inference that this excess in gastric cancer is causally associated with soil levels of zinc and copper is not consistent with another study. In a survey of cancer registry data in Shipham, Somerset (Great Britain), an area that also has a high soil zinc-to-copper ratio (≈17:1), the gastric cancer incidence rate was significantly lower than the regional rate (Philipp et al 1982). It is probable that other factors, not considered by Stocks and Davies (1964), are associated with or coincidental to the high soil zinc-to-copper ratio confounded the results.…”

“…Epidemiological studies regarding carcinogenicity after inhalation and oral exposure to zinc are available (Logue et al 1982;Neuberger and Hollowell 1982;Philipp et al 1982;Stocks and Davies 1964); however, they were not well controlled and the data are of little significance. Studies are available regarding carcinogenicity in animals after inhalation and oral exposure to zinc (Marrs et al 1988;Walters and Roe 1965).…”

Cadmium — Risk Assessment of an Exposed Residential Population: A Review

“…There is some evidence of a causally associated health risk for animals: cattle licking mud in the locality have developed leadinduced encephalopathy, and the low copper levels cause swayback in new born lambs (Philipp & Hughes 1982a). Although deaths from gastric cancer in North Wales have been associated with a high zinc/copper ratio in the soil, no such association could be shown in Shipham (Philipp & Hughes 1982a). Nevertheless, the possibility of a risk for human health could not be ignored.…”