Trace element levels in drinking water and the incidence of colorectal cancer

We determined the levels of 15 elements in drinking water from 34 water treatment plants in Aomori Prefecture and studied how element levels relate to colorectal cancer incidence by district. Colorectal cancer incidence was calculated from the data of Aomori Colorectal Cancer Registry. Multiple regression analysis was performed by using age-adjusted incidences of rectal cancer and colon cancer by gender as object variables and each element level as an explanatory variable. The standardized partial regression coefficient was significant in gold (p < 0.01), magnesium (p < 0.01), selenium (p < 0.01) and tin (p < 0.05) for age-adjusted rectal cancer incidence in men as objective variable; in gold (p < 0.05), calcium (p < 0.01) and phosphorus (p < 0.01) with age-adjusted colon cancer incidence in men as the objective variable; and in sodium (p < 0.05), phosphorus (p < 0.05), tin (p < 0.05) and strontium (p < 0.01) with age-adjusted colon cancer incidence in women as the objective variable. These results confirm the need to further study trace elements in drinking water and food, and relationship to colorectal carcinogenesis.