The putative role of environmental chemical exposure in the development of Cervical, Prostate and Colorectal (CPC) cancers in Jamaica

Objective: Heavy metals in human tissues are thought to both develop and progress some types of cancers. Industrial mining in Jamaica has resulted in documented environmental and health issues. Mapping of soils in Jamaica shows major deposits of cadmium from bauxite mining in the central parts of Jamaica, which is significantly higher (100 to 1000 times) than worldwide critical limits. The present study was done to ascertain if there is a relationship between areas with high densities of cadmium and cervical-prostate and colorectal (CPC) cases. Patients and Methods: This was a retrospective study; clinical records of CPC patients were abstracted from hospital files. Cases of CPC were categorized by parish and then compared with the distribution of cadmium in these parishes. The relationship between the numbers of CPC cases high cadmium density was explored using Pearson’s Chi. Results: Compared to the mean number of cases across Jamaica, parishes with high cadmium levels had a significantly higher proportion of CPC cases (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The higher number of CPC cases in parishes with reported cadmium levels cadmium suggests a plausible relationship. More work will be needed to establish if there is a definitive link between the levels of cadmium in CPC cases compared to healthy individuals.