Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal
Doctor to study cancer in Fallon
Research on cluster to focus on genetics
By CARYN ROUSSEAU
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- An Arkansas doctor is hoping a study of genetic factors reveals the cause of a cancer cluster in Fallon that has sickened 16 children with leukemia since 2000, killing three.
The cause of the cluster in the Northern Nevada community is unknown despite exhaustive studies, including one by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that found higher-than-normal concentrations of arsenic, antimony, tungsten, cobalt and uranium in the Northern Nevada town of 7,500. But the CDC found no single cause for the leukemias.
Between 1997 and 2002, 16 children with ties to Churchill County were diagnosed with the deadly blood and bone marrow cancer. Three have died.
With $224,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Jill James of the Arkansas Children's Hospital Research Institute hopes to build on the CDC study and focus her work on any genetic causes for the cluster.
"We're interested in individual genetic profiles, whether they could interact with these metals to increase the cancer," James said. "All of the Fallon residents were exposed to the same stuff. What's different about the kids who got leukemia than the families who did not? What's changed, because these metals have presumably been there forever."
The reason the metals are interesting is because all of them independently will cause damage to DNA. James said she is researching whether the metals combined reach a threshold that might trigger leukemia.
She also plans to look at the mothers of the children who had the disease, including their diet, genetics and metabolism to see if the sick children were exposed to something before they were born.
"When a cancer occurs that early, there may be some prenatal exposure," James said. "Most cancers take time to develop. What we're really looking at is whether exposures during pregnancy could interact with the genetics."
The Arkansas researchers will take blood samples from the Fallon families with children who have leukemia and two control groups: One of Fallon families without health problems but who were also exposed to the metals and one of Arkansas families who have not been exposed to the metals.
The study is to begin by the end of the summer. U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., helped secure the money through the University of Nevada, Reno to fund the study.
