Abstract

Recent studies showing substantial increases in the incidence of bone cancer and osteosarcoma in,males (but not females) exposed to fluoride gave us the unique opportunity of using females as a control group to determine whether there is a link: between fluoridation and bone cancer in males. Using three different data bases, we found that 1) the bone cancer incidence rate was as much as 0.95 cases a year per 100,000 population higher in males under age 20 living in fluoridated areas; 2) the osteosarcoma incidence rate was 0.85 new cases a year per 100,000 population higher in males under age 20 living in fluoridated areas; and 3) for males of all ages, the bone ,cancer death rate and bone cancer incidence rate was as much as 0.23 and 0.44 cases higher per 100,000 population, respectively, in fluoridated areas. These findings indicate that fluoridation is linked to an increase in bone cancer and deaths from bone cancer in human populations among males under age 20 and that this increase in bone cancer is probably all due to an increase in osteosarcoma caused by fluoride. Results indicating a fluoridation-linked 30-60% increase in oral cancers are also presented.

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