Scientists hunt cancer cluster

RENO -- Researchers continue to look at tungsten in their study of a mysterious childhood leukemia cluster in Fallon, a military and agricultural town 60 miles east of Reno.

Scientists who gathered Friday at a University of Nevada, Reno symposium discussed the latest research into the Fallon cluster and theorized it might have been fueled by environmental factors that harmed the genes of the children.

Since 1997, 17 children with ties to Fallon have been diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia. Three have died. Health officials say about one leukemia case in five years would be expected. The last child in the group was diagnosed in 2004.

Dr. William Murphy of the University of Nevada School of Medicine said it's still important to determine the cause of the cancer cluster, even though it "seems to have abated."

Murphy said the Fallon case is unique because the cluster developed so fast in such a small area, and some of the factors that caused it may still exist. The research was funded by $750,000 in federal grants obtained by U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.