HEALTH EFFECTS OF ARSENIC EXPOSURE IN BANGLADESH: PROGRESS AND PRELIMINARY FINDINGS FROM A COHORT STUDY
Habibul Ahsan, MD,
Department of Epidemiology and Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University, New York, N.Y. 10032.

An estimated 50 million people have been chronically exposed to arsenic exposure from drinking water. We are conducting a large epidemiologic cohort study of 11,500 men and women to comprehensively examine prospectively the health effects of arsenic exposure in Bangladesh with an initial emphasis on the full dose_response relationships of arsenic exposure with the incidence rates of skin lesions, skin cancers, and total and cancer_related mortalities. In addition, using cross_sectional and case_cohort designs within the main cohort, the interrelationships among urinary arsenic metabolites, a number of biomarkers and health outcomes are also being examined. To date, a complete survey and analysis of all 6,000 tube_wells in the study area are completed enumerating and characterizing the 60,000 users. Recruitment and collection of extensive interview and clinical data and biological samples have also been completed from the target 11,500 cohort members. Overall, data from this comprehensive study will provide information on the interrelationships between arsenic doses, intermediate biomarkers, and other host and lifestyle factors including the genetics and nutrition in the etiology of arsenic_induced cancers and other health outcomes. Design and progress of this comprehensive epidemiologic study, preliminary baseline data, and a preliminary analysis of cancer burden in Bangladesh based on the baseline data will be presented.