Evidence map›Paper›PMID 21431077›Full record

ArticleDose-response : a publication of International Hormesis Society2010

Cancer mortality in six lowest versus six highest elevation jurisdictions in the u.s.

John Hart

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Dose-response : a publication of International Hormesis Society, 2010. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Misleading Model: Why the 5% Cancer Risk from Computed Tomography Scans Is Overstated.American journal of respiratory and critical care medicine · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Cancer mortality for a single race in low versus high elevation counties in the u.s.Dose-response : a publication of International Hormesis Society · 2011
    Article
  7. Article
  8. X-Ray Hesitancy: Patients' Radiophobic Concerns Over Medical X-rays.Dose-response : a publication of International Hormesis Society
    Article
  9. Review
  10. Reduced Lung Cancer Mortality With Lower Atmospheric Pressure.Dose-response : a publication of International Hormesis Society
    Article
  11. Association Between Air Temperature and Cancer Death Rates in Florida: An Ecological Study.Dose-response : a publication of International Hormesis Society
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

1 author.

John HartSherman College of Chiropractic, Spartanburg, SC.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Low levels of background radiation exist around us continuously. These levels increase with increasing land elevation, allowing a comparison of low elevations to high elevations in regard to an outcome such as cancer death rates. The present study compares archived cancer mortality rates in six low versus six high elevation jurisdictions. The study also compares mortality rates for all causes, heart disease, and diabetes in low versus high elevation jurisdictions in an effort to see if other mortality outcomes are different in low versus high elevations. Statistically significant decreases in mortality, with very large effect sizes, were observed in high land elevation for three of the four outcomes, including cancer. One possible explanation for the decreased mortality in high elevation jurisdictions is radiation hormesis. Another possible explanation, at least in the case of heart disease mortality, is the physiologic responses that accompany higher elevations regarding decreased oxygen levels. Since this is an ecological study, no causal inferences can be made, particularly when viewpoints on possible effects of low level radiation are diametrically opposed. Further research is indicated.

Indexed as

background radiationcancermortalityRadiation effects

Identifiers

PMID21431077
PMCPMC3057635

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.