Resources

Network Resources

Monthly Digest

At the start of every month, we share with all Network participants new research, news stories, events, reports and other resources, as well as funding opportunities relevant to cancer and the environment. Sign up to receive our Monthly Digests.

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2024
2020
Presentations

NETWORK SPEAKERS’ SERIES
Beginning in October 2021, the Network has hosted a speaker each month to do a deep dive into specific environmental and occupational risk factors for cancer, and opportunities for prevention. Watch and listen to the recordings below.

May 2023: Pesticides: The Environmental and Health Impacts on Children and Workers

April 2023: The Accumulation of Radioactive Fracking Waste in Landfills and its Effect on Cancer

March 2023: EPA Soot Pollution Webinar 

February 2023: Radioactivity and Indoor Air Quality: Radon in Schools & The Impact on Children Passcode: xPRX+k&9

January 2023: Health and Environmental Hazards of Artificial Turf and Safer Alternatives Passcode: q+AckJw1

December 2022: Wood/Debris Burning: Public Health Consequences  Passcode: ycngn&4?

November 2022: Animal Protein and Cancer Risks: What We Know & What We Can Do  Passcode: 7T&5?PJ4

 

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October 2021: Breast cancer and the environment: What do we know and how can we reduce exposures?

November 2021:  Air Pollution: What can we say about Southwestern PAs air quality?

December 2021: Cleaning Products.  Password: care

January 2022: Radon: A lung cancer risk that can be preventable. Password: bridges

February 2022: Breast cancer and the environment: What do we know and how can we reduce exposures.  This version targeted a continuing education audience.  Suggested resources and readings here.

March 2022: Reducing exposure to chemicals in food while nourishing your body for cancer prevention.  You’ll need to log-in (establish an account if you don’t already have one) to the Mid Atlantic Public Health Training Center’s site to view.

April 2022: Per- and polyfluroakly substances (PFAS): What are these forever chemicals and why worry?

June 2022: Fracking impacts – community concerns and what the science tells us. You’ll need to log-in (establish an account if you don’t already have one) to the Mid Atlantic Public Health Training Center’s site to view.

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QUARTERLY MEETING PRESENTATIONS

Dr. Cassie Clark presented at CENSWPA’s final 2022 quarterly meeting over the topic of Unconventional Oil and Gas Development Exposure and Risk of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. View the full presentation here.

2019 CANCER AND ENVIRONMENT SYMPOSIUM 

View the presentations from renowned scientists at this foundational event that launched the Cancer and Environment Network of SW Pennsylvania.

Special Project: Creating Healthy Spaces for Cancer Communities

Cancer Bridges (formerly Our Clubhouse), an active Network participant and Pittsburgh-based nonprofit, is eliminating high hazard chemicals used for cleaning, and identifying other opportunities for creating a healthier indoor environment. A manual guides their cleaning and disinfecting practices and is available in a template format in English and in Spanish for use by other organizations; the yellow highlights indicate where organizations can add their own information. A series of placards placed the welcome area, kitchen, bathroom and other spaces give people visiting the space information about opportunities for reducing exposures to toxic chemicals at Cancer Bridges and at home; these too are available in English and in Spanish and can be adapted for use by other organizations. QR codes on the placards link to fact sheets with additional information.

Interested in exploring a Healthy Spaces transition within your organization? Contact us to get started

Featured News and Peer Reviewed Journal Articles

FEATURED THIS MONTH

Peer-reviewed journal articles

Air pollution

Cancer survival

Consumer Products

Endocrine Disrupting Agents

Persistent Organic Pollutants

PFAS

Water Pollution

News Articles

PREVIOUSLY FEATURED

December News Articles

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November Peer-reviewed journal articles

Air Pollution

Childhood Cancer

Flame Retardants

Heavy Metals

Microplastics/Nanoplastics

PFAS

Pesticides

Other

News Articles

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October Peer-reviewed journal articles

Air pollution

Environmental justice

Occupational risks

Microplastics

PFAS

Water contamination

News Articles

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September Peer-reviewed journal articles

Air Pollution

Heavy metals

Pesticides

PFAS

Other

News Articles

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August Peer-reviewed journal articles

Air Pollution

Environmental Justice

Heavy Metals

Microplastics

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)

  • Brugel M, et al. Association between pancreatic adenocarcinoma risk and concentration of organochlorine pesticides in adipose tissue and urine: A targeted-screening analysis case-control study (PESTIPAC). United European Gastroenterol J. 2024 Aug 8. doi: 10.1002/ueg2.12602. 

Pesticides

PFAS

Radiation

Residential Greenness

Survival/Tumor Aggression

News Articles

Environmental Contributors to Cancer

CARCINOGENS

Search chemicals, occupations, and activities that are classified as carcinogens by IARC.

CHILDHOOD CANCER PREVENTION

Organizations active in the Cancer and Environment Network of SWPA participate in the Childhood Cancer Prevention Initiative, a multi-sector effort to reduce exposure to chemicals tied to the development of cancers in young people. This report provides the foundation.

CONSUMER PRODUCTS

Women for a Healthy Environment’s shopping guides can help you avoid toxins in your products.

Clearya is a free Chrome extension and Mobile App that notifies you when there are unsafe ingredients in your products, while shopping online.

Environmental Working Group Consumer Tools:

ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS

A range of chemicals not considered “complete carcinogens” nonetheless contribute to the development of cancers. The Halifax Project explains.

To learn more about endocrine disrupting chemicals, see The Collaborative on Health and Environment and a backgrounder developed by the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences.

INDOOR AIR QUALITY

Order a free home radon test kit from the American Lung Association.

Women for a Healthy Environment has both Indoor Air Factsheets, as well as a Radon in Schools Workgroup that advocates for radon exposure prevention policies in Pennsylvania.

Citizens for Radioactive Radon Reduction (CR3) offers many different radon resources.

Reducing Outdoor Contaminants in Indoor Spaces (ROCIS) provides a range of resources.

OIL AND GAS DEVELOPMENT

FracTracker’s “Oil and Gas Information by Location” tool helps guide your search for information about this industry in relation to a specific location or region.

Physicians for Social Responsibility 7th edition of the fracking “Compendium” which compiles, summarizes and provides electronic access to articles on fracking’s risks and harms to health.

The Environmental Health Project (EHP) is a nonprofit public health organization that assists and supports residents of Southwestern Pennsylvania and beyond who believe their health has been, or could be, impacted by unconventional oil and gas development. EHP has numerous fact sheets and reports on the topic.

OUTDOOR AIR QUALITY

Air Now. Find your community’s current air quality.

Outdoor Air Pollution tools, compiled by the Breathe Project. Several of these tools were created by Carnegie Mellon University’s CREATE Lab.

Smell PGH App. Download this app on your phone to record smelly odors in your neighborhood. Complaints are automatically sent to the Allegheny County Health Department.

Submit an Air Quality Complaint to the Allegheny County Health Department.

Penn Environment’s Toxic 10 report, A listing of Allegheny County’s “Toxic Ten” industrial air polluters with tools that allow residents to find out how close they live to these facilities.

PFAS - PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES

Silent Spring Institute’s PFAS-Exchange includes a number of resources on PFAS, including factsheets, medical screening guidance and maps where PFAS contamination has been detected.

PESTICIDES

Take the Pennsylvania Good Riddance, Round Up Pledge to reduce the use of pesticides in your garden, yard, municipal parks and fields, school grounds and/or childcare center.

Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce. This guide helps you make choices among non-organic produce.

Pesticide Action Network, a Cancer Free Economy Network national partner, provides scientific resources and action opportunities.

WATER

Tap Water Database. Search contaminants found in your water system using this database.

NSF Certified Water Filter Database. To find products that are certified by NSF International to reduce PFOA/PFOS in drinking water, see NSF International’s certification listings.