Winchester VA, high cancer rates???? (Front Royal, Blue Ridge: 2014, house, crawl space)

[barstool]

Why are the cancer rates so high in Winchester, Front Royal and Martinsburg area? I have lived many places in the U.S., but I have never seen ANYTHING like this. What causes the cancer rates to be so high around here? Poor water conditions? Air quality? Even people I know that live healthy life styles seem to have been a victim of cancer around here.

[Carlingtonian]

The group of people any one of us knows is not a numerous or random sample. But theoretically, if someone did a study controlling for diet, smoking, heredity, and exercise, and it found that rates are higher in those areas you named, I would have to guess radon exposure would be a factor. I've seen the radon maps and recall it's more prevalent toward the Blue Ridge. But radon only causes lung cancer, and radon exposure only happens (generally) in a house that has exposed earth or rock in a basement or crawl space.

But what's a "healthy lifestyle"? Someone who doesn't smoke and is not obese but who eats BBQ every day and never exercises is not living one. Even thin people get cancer. There could also be occupational factors--e.g., someone who works with solvents every day has a much higher risk. And don't forget second-hand smoke.

Finally, what are the ages of the people you know who got cancer? If there are more retired people living in those towns than in most areas, then that explains a lot of it.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by barstool

Why are the cancer rates so high in Winchester, Front Royal and Martinsburg area? I have lived many places in the U.S., but I have never seen ANYTHING like this. What causes the cancer rates to be so high around here? Poor water conditions? Air quality? Even people I know that live healthy life styles seem to have been a victim of cancer around here.

Can you please provide a link to the data that says the cancer rate is higher in those areas versus other areas?

[Hesky]

Yeah, I would also be interested in the OP providing a link to data that supports this claim. Not that I don't believe him/her, but I just had never heard of such a problem in those areas and if it's true I would be interested in reading about it.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by barstool

Why are the cancer rates so high in Winchester, Front Royal and Martinsburg area? I have lived many places in the U.S., but I have never seen ANYTHING like this. What causes the cancer rates to be so high around here? Poor water conditions? Air quality? Even people I know that live healthy life styles seem to have been a victim of cancer around here.

You joined to start this thread? Please provide evidence to show your remarks are true. I have many friends in and around Winchester and have yet to see one with cancer.

[gomason]

America's thinnest (and fattest) cities

Two other cities in the state, Charleston and Martinsburg, were also in the top 10 cities ranks by high obesity rate.

Appalachia in general has very high rates of obesity, which is not a coincidence.

[Bigfoot424]

Originally Posted by gomason

America's thinnest (and fattest) cities


Appalachia in general has very high rates of obesity, which is not a coincidence.

Winchester is in VA.

[Flamingo13]

Originally Posted by gomason

America's thinnest (and fattest) cities


Appalachia in general has very high rates of obesity, which is not a coincidence.

What does this have to do w/Winchester??

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by Flamingo13

What does this have to do w/Winchester??

The title of the thread is that there is high cancer levels in Winchester. The study posted isn't really relevant because it isn't about Winchester.

[Flamingo13]

That's what I said.....