The Truth of

the Matter

For more than 60 years, the area of the lower Mississippi River of South Louisiana has been called the Industrial Corridor beause of its strong chemical, oil refining and manufacturing economy, which supports thousands of jobs in the state. This region includes East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, Ascension, St. John the Baptist, St. James and St. Charles Parishes. Calcasieu Parish in Southwest Louisiana is also included due to its heavy industrial activity.

A green circular icon with a white border featuring

With no scientific basis or accuracy behind it, the false term “Cancer Alley” began as a moniker in a targeted public relations campaign crafted by national interest groups. The campaign included a billboard along I-10 entering Ascension Parish in the mid-1980s. The media began to use the term to scrutinize cancer rates in the state. The Louisiana State Medical Society even dedicated its annual April publication in 1988 to “Cancer in Louisiana.”

However, in the early 1990s health experts with the Louisiana State Medical Society, and Mary Bird Perkins and Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Centers, reviewed cancer incidences across the state and disputed the idea of “Cancer Alley.” They discovered that while cancer rates in Louisiana on the whole were higher than national averages, rates in the parishes comprising the Industrial Corridor were in many cases the same as or even lower than the rest of the state.

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Newspaper article titled
A newspaper article titled
A black-and-white newspaper clipping features an article on cancer risk in the Louisiana industrial corridor, written by Peter Shinkle.
Newspaper article titled
A circular crop of a research article about cancer in Louisiana, highlighting cancer alley myths and the Louisiana chemical industry.
Newspaper article titled “‘Cancer Alley’ theory debated,” with quotes on cancer rates and the Louisiana chemical industry’s environmental impact.

After these findings were made public, many news outlets reported there was no validity to the term “Cancer Alley” due to the lack of scientific evidence to support claims fabricated by special interest groups.

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Recently, environmental activists and other special interest groups have revived the false moniker used decades ago and are once again adopting deceitful unscientific practices in an effort to rid the state of its oil, gas and chemical industries. Well-funded campaigns supported by major political PACs, national interest groups, and trial attorneys seeking financial and political gain in the state have picked up the false “Cancer Alley” moniker. Under the deceit of catchy headlines, these organizations are spreading misinformation and inaccurate stories in newspapers, negative advertising, attack blogs and social media. Media outlets are perpetuating the misleading information by relying on interest groups as their primary source and choosing to ignore data from credible sources

“Misinformation”

Unfortunately, Louisiana on the whole does continue to face higher than average cancer rates than the rest of the country. However, rates in the parishes comprising the Industrial Corridor remain at or below the state average. This fact is backed by semi-annual reporting from the Louisiana Tumor Registry, an independent, state-funded, internationally recognized group that studies cancer rates in Louisiana, as well as other respected research organizations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Factual scientific and medical data collected throughout the state for decades, clearly and continuously demonstrate there is no scientific basis for the term…

Cancer Alley

The Truth of

the Matter

For more than 60 years, the area of the lower Mississippi River of South Louisiana has been called the Industrial Corridor beause of its strong chemical, oil refining and manufacturing economy, which supports thousands of jobs in the state. This region includes East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, Ascension, St. John the Baptist, St. James and St. Charles Parishes. Calcasieu Parish in Southwest Louisiana is also included due to its heavy industrial activity.

Aerial view of a docked cargo ship with cranes along the Louisiana industrial corridor, river, parking lot, and greenery in the background.
A green circular icon with a white border featuring

With no scientific basis or accuracy behind it, the false term “Cancer Alley” began as a moniker in a targeted public relations campaign crafted by national interest groups. The campaign included a billboard along I-10 entering Ascension Parish in the mid-1980s. The media began to use the term to scrutinize cancer rates in the state. The Louisiana State Medical Society even dedicated its annual April publication in 1988 to “Cancer in Louisiana.”

However, in the early 1990s health experts with the Louisiana State Medical Society, and Mary Bird Perkins and Our Lady of the Lake Cancer Centers, reviewed cancer incidences across the state and disputed the idea of “Cancer Alley.” They discovered that while cancer rates in Louisiana on the whole were higher than national averages, rates in the parishes comprising the Industrial Corridor were in many cases the same as or even lower than the rest of the state.

Click the newspapers to read the full story
Newspaper article titled
A newspaper article titled
Newspaper article titled
A circular crop of a research article about cancer in Louisiana, highlighting cancer alley myths and the Louisiana chemical industry.
A black-and-white newspaper clipping features an article on cancer risk in the Louisiana industrial corridor, written by Peter Shinkle.
A close-up of a scientific article about cancer rates in Louisiana’s industrial corridor, showing the title, authors, and beginning of the text.
Newspaper article titled “‘Cancer Alley’ theory debated,” with quotes on cancer rates and the Louisiana chemical industry’s environmental impact.

After these findings were made public, many news outlets reported there was no validity to the term “Cancer Alley” due to the lack of scientific evidence to support claims fabricated by special interest groups.

A simple blue map pin icon with a circular cutout, referencing Louisiana industrial corridor, on a white background.
A long bridge stretches over water in the Louisiana industrial corridor, extending straight toward the horizon under a clear sky.

Recently, environmental activists and other special interest groups have revived the false moniker used decades ago and are once again adopting deceitful unscientific practices in an effort to rid the state of its oil, gas and chemical industries. Well-funded campaigns supported by major political PACs, national interest groups, and trial attorneys seeking financial and political gain in the state have picked up the false “Cancer Alley” moniker. Under the deceit of catchy headlines, these organizations are spreading misinformation and inaccurate stories in newspapers, negative advertising, attack blogs and social media. Media outlets are perpetuating the misleading information by relying on interest groups as their primary source and choosing to ignore data from credible sources

Unfortunately, Louisiana on the whole does continue to face higher than average cancer rates than the rest of the country. However, rates in the parishes comprising the Industrial Corridor remain at or below the state average.

This fact is backed by semi-annual reporting from the Louisiana Tumor Registry, an independent, state-funded, internationally recognized group that studies cancer rates in Louisiana, as well as other respected research organizations such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Factual scientific and medical data collected throughout the state for decades, clearly and continuously demonstrate there is no scientific basis for the term…

Cancer Alley