First Cancer Meeting in Andover Compares Cancer Rates

July meeting to focus on breast cancer

June 18, 2014 • Saved under News
By Cindy Benson, for the Beacon

When I was diagnosed with breast cancer in the fall of 2009, I soon found out I was not alone among my friends and neighbors in Andover. Those who had gone before me decided to start a “dinner club,” and we met several times to support one another.

The other members shared their experiences, recommended surgeons and oncologists, and told me what to expect. They discussed treatment options and shared their personal stories, all of which helped me to make the decisions I needed to make for myself.

Sadly, one of them has since passed away, and many more have joined “the group.” But most of us are survivors and fiercely proud of all we’ve been through.

However, no one can help noticing how many of our neighbors and friends have experienced cancer. Was our perception of the incidence of cancer in Andover just representative of cancer rates all across the US, or does the Andover area have a higher rate of cancer in comparison to other communities?

I wanted to find out. I heard that Vicky Mishcon, during her tenure as selectwoman for the town of Andover, had put in a request to the New Hampshire Health and Human Services Department asking for an evaluation of cancer rates in Andover to determine if they constituted a “cluster.” This was in response to several concerned citizens who had come to her over the six years she served the town.

We decided a good place to start would be to host a series of forums with some of the specialists involved to find out more about what the overall statistics show and to further educate ourselves. Our first forum was held on June 6 at the Andover Town Hall. Our featured panelists included:

  • Brook Dupee, Chief of the Bureau of Public Health Statistics and Informatics, who presented an overview of how cancer clusters are investigated

  • Dr. Monawar Hosain, New Hampshire State Cancer Registry Epidemiologist, who discussed a recent report on the cancer burden in New Hampshire. You can see the slides at AndoverBeacon.com/Cancer_Clusters.

  • Laleh Talebian, Director of Community Health Education and Cancer Prevention at Norris Cotton Center, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, who spoke about how cancer develops and covered strategies for reducing the risk of cancer. You can see the slides at AndoverBeacon.com/Cancer_Prevention.

  • Whitney Hammond, Comprehensive Cancer Control Program Manager and State of New Hampshire Chronic Disease Coordinator, who introduced the services her office provides and spoke about the New Hampshire Comprehensive Cancer Collaboration, an organization open to anyone interested in helping to eliminate cancer in New Hampshire. For more information on how to get involved, visit NHCancerPlan.org or call 415-4276.

We learned that since 2005, cancer has become the number one leading cause of death in New Hampshire, over heart disease. The cancer rate in New Hampshire is significantly higher than the national rate. 75% of cancers occur in people over the age of 55. (The fact that New Hampshire has a higher median age overall could partially explain the higher rate.) 80% of cancers are preventable, caused by lifestyle choices such as tobacco use, poor diet, and lack of exercise.

When analyzing data in search of a possible cluster of cancer cases, the specialists from New Hampshire’s Chronic Disease Office look for a higher rate of a specific type of cancer in a specific geographical region that is affecting people outside of the typical age group for that specific cancer. The New Hampshire cancer registry (records of cancer cases from all New Hampshire hospitals reported to the state) as well as survey results and anecdotal information from citizens are analyzed. Further steps are taken depending on the findings.

In August, Dr. Hosain and Mr. Dupee plan to return to Andover to discuss the results of their study of Andover cancer rates, after they have had a chance to analyze the statistics and survey results. Stay tuned for a date to be determined.

In the meantime, a July meeting will be set to discuss the latest research and current treatment options for breast cancer. The meeting will feature Laleh Talebian and a breast cancer surgeon from DHMC. The date is still to be determined.

Overall, the June 6 meeting was a success in that we had good attendance, and it was very informative. Questions were welcomed throughout the four presentations, and the speakers were impressed with the knowledge and interest of the participants.

We thank the speakers for taking the time on a Friday evening to speak to concerned citizens in our community, and we look forward to further opportunities to learn about this issue that affects so many of us. For more information about the June 6 meeting, you can watch it on our Andover Cable TV channel, read the Powerpoint slides at AndoverBeacon.com/Cancer_Prevention and AndoverBeacon.com/Cancer_Clusters, contact Vicky Mishcon at VLMishcon@nullcomcast.net or 735-6402, or contact Cindy Benson at CindyBenson@nulltds.net or 321-9231.