Some recent studies from the University of Miami's Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center suggests that women living near Superfund sites — federally designated hazardous waste areas — face a higher risk of developing aggressive forms of breast cancer.
The research was prompted by a breast cancer survivor and member of Sylvester's Community Advisory Committee who noticed an unusually high number of diagnoses among women in her neighborhood near a Superfund site.
Erin Kobetz, an epidemiologist and associate director for community outreach and engagement at Sylvester, is leading the studies.
"Women who lived close to Superfund sites had 30% higher odds of being diagnosed with metastatic disease," Kobetz told WLRN in an interview last week. "A follow-up study showed that women who live close to Superfund sites have a 30% greater risk of being diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer."
The term "Superfund" originates from federal legislation passed in 1980, which established the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund program to identify and remediate hazardous waste sites. The goal is to clean the most contaminated sites to protect the environment and people — often in low-income and communities of color.
The latest federal data shows there are 1,340 active sites across the country.
Superfund sites are often former mines, landfills or manufacturing plants where toxic chemical waste was never properly managed. Pollutants from these sites can travel through air and water. In Miami-Dade County alone, there are 13 Superfund sites — though not all are listed as active.
The site's potential impact on human health is not new. A 2017 peer-reviewed study published in "Statistics and Public Policy" sounded alarms after finding that cancer rates were 6% higher in Florida counties containing Superfund sites.
Kobetz's findings raise concern because both forms of cancer identified in the studies are particularly difficult to treat. Triple-negative breast cancer accounts for about 10% to 15% of diagnoses and tends to grow and spread more quickly, with fewer treatment options. Metastatic breast cancer, also known as "Stage 4," means the disease has already spread beyond the breast to other parts of the body.
Kobetz explained how breast tissue may be especially vulnerable to environmental exposures linked to Superfund sites.
"We assume that breast tissue is susceptible to environmental exposures that are included in Superfund sites such as endocrine disruptors because they may interfere with normal processes associated with tissue development and maintenance," she said.
For women living near high-risk areas, Kobetz emphasized the importance of routine screening and preventive care.
"Regardless of where they live, women need to work closely with their health providers to adhere to United States Preventive Services Task Force recommendations for cancer screening, which enables earlier detection of disease," she said.
Looking ahead, Kobetz and her team are focused on uncovering the biological mechanisms behind the association between Superfund sites and aggressive breast cancers.
"We want to identify specific mutations that may ultimately inform better treatment, improve screening, and may lead to interventions to attenuate the risk," she said.
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