CHINA'S TREATMENT OF CANCER FROM NITRITE IN DRINKING WATER POLLUTED BY SEWAGE DISCHARGES, TRAGIC IGNORANCE OF WEST

Improved communication among researchers on cancer should lead to quicker societal response. The West has not acknowledged progress in China. Since 1980s areas of industrial development in China with elevated nitrite in drinking water sharply increased in cancer mortality rates. Nitrite, produced by sewage plants, is still thought relatively harmless in West. Environmental protection agencies in United States and Europe set maximum limits 8 to 10 fold higher than China. Areas in China that switched showed quick responses, rates dropped everywhere as much as one-half. China's efforts to share insights with world were not successful. Causes of cancer remain uncertain, it may be genetic or from factors external to cells. Billions of dollars are spent on cancer research and millions of lives are at stake. Still we remain uninformed or are inexplicably inactive if informed. Press releases in English and Chinese in early 2000s were not noticed in the West. Our abstract to Geological Society Meetings in 2007 described China's work on cancer and nitrite with little effect. Our manuscripts to prominent western journals "Science", "Nature" and "Proceedings of the National Academy of Science" were not sent for review or editors reversed approval of reviewers. Our reliabilities as earth scientists and extreme gravity of the issue did not sway editors. Editors should be but are not free of our slowness to act on well-documented concepts. Luckily, we developed science that gets around this. Sound useful information eventually is incorporated. We have this tendency, whether intelligent, educated, well motivated, skilled scientists, dedicated medical doctors, nurses, or heads of news and governmental agencies. World attention is needed, perhaps sponsored by United Nations. Hong Kong government considers the matter in Spring 2011. We are organizing a scientifc meeting in Beijing to be attended by delegates from international health agencies.