Cancer cluster being probed in Perth County
Posted Oct 22, 2010 05:00:32 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Perth District Health Unit has begun a cancer cluster investigation in Perth County.
The investigation was started after learning about several cases of related lymphoma in teenagers who attend St. Michael Catholic Secondary School in Stratford.
Acting Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Miriam Klassen, declined to reveal the specific number of cases.
“It is a small number, so in order to prevent (betraying) confidentiality and until we can confirm facts, I can’t get into the numbers,” Klassen stated in an interview with 570 News.
She says a lot of information still needs to be confirmed through pathology reports before officials can be certain what they’re dealing with.
Lymphomas are cancers that begin in the immune system. The Health Unit contacted Cancer Care Ontario and was informed that rates of Hodgkin Lymphoma in Perth County teenagers appear to be higher than the provincial average from 1985 to 2006.
Klassen says cancer agencies and the community are being helpful, adding that the investigation will likely take several months.
She’s also quick to try and downplay any sense of panic.
“Many cancer clusters are simply due to random variation,” Klassen notes. “In other words, in nature, things do tend to cluster naturally. There will be areas where the rate is lower and areas where the rate is higher.”
Klassen points out that investigations into cancer clusters do not always lead to definitive conclusions but she’s promising to keep the community updated throughout the process.
She has also extended her sympathies to the community and, specifically, the affected families as the health unit conducts its work.
