Thursday, May 06, 1999
Registry would track cancer trends
Ohio Legislature earmarks $1.6 M to start program
BY MICHAEL HAWTHORNE
Enquirer Columbus Bureau
COLUMBUS — Mindful of high rates of cancer in Ohio, state lawmakers are reviving a registry created to track cancer trends and identify preventive measures.
An amendment tucked into the two-year state budget proposal early Wednesday by House Republicans would provide more than $1.6 million to jump start the collection and analysis of cancer data.
Frustrated with the program's lack of progress, GOP lawmakers also shifted over sight of the registry — and related federal grants — to the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital at Ohio State University.
The Ohio Department of Health has operated the program since lawmakers created it in 1991, but researchers and state officials say the General Assembly has failed to provide enough money to make it work.
“Having good data is one way we can find out what's causing high rates of cancer in an area,” said Dr. Ralph Buncher, a professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of Cincinnati. “We know that cancer in the country as a whole is down, but we sure would like to know if that's the case in Ohio as well.”
While the state health department has collected information on about 250,000 cancer cases statewide, it has released only one report covering 1992 data.
An increased emphasis on fighting cancer is especially important for Greater Cincinnati, where cancer incidence rates and death rates have exceeded national averages for years.
Hamilton County, for instance, had above-average incidence rates in 13 of the 25 leading types of cancer in 1992, the most recent data available from the Ohio Cancer Incidence Surveillance System.
Why cancer rates are high in Greater Cincinnati remains a mystery, researchers say.
Some speculate the rates may reflect regional lifestyle trends in smoking and diet. Others wonder whether cancer rates reflect old environmental problems, such as Ohio River pollution or air emissions from industry and cars.
The move to shift the cancer registry to OSU came at the behest of House Speaker Jo Ann Davidson, R-Reynoldsburg, and Rep. Pat Tiebri, R-Columbus, the House majority leader.
However, they may not have the last word on the matter. Officials at the state health department are lobbying Gov. Bob Taft to keep the program at their agency. Some researchers at UC also have discussed asking lawmakers to give them control.
“It looks like OSU may be a step ahead of us now,” Dr. Buncher said. “But whoever ends up running it needs to make sure all researchers have access to the data.”
Comprehensive data on incidents of cancer can make it easier for researchers to land lucrative federal grants, Dr. Buncher said, and could lead to more cutting-edge cancer treatments for patients.
Both the OSU hospital and the state health department are preparing reports for Mr. Taft and legislative leaders detailing how they would operate the cancer registry. Legislative staffs also are analyzing the proposals.
Dr. David E. Schuller, director of the James Cancer Hospital, said he is interested in running the registry only if state officials provide enough money.
“We feel it is critical to have this program in Ohio,” Dr. Schuller said. “But we need adequate funding and teamwork for it to be done in a first-rate fashion.”
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