Published in the Asbury Park Press
By JEAN MIKLE
TOMS RIVER BUREAU
TOMS RIVER -- Mothers whose children developed leukemia were more likely to recall drinking higher-than-average amounts of tap water during pregnancy, according to an interim epidemiological report released yesterday by state health officials.
Children who developed leukemia, brain or central nervous system cancers also were more likely to have consumed more than four glasses of tap water daily, researchers reported.
But officials stressed that no conclusions should be drawn from the interim report, noting that the it does not attempt to determine why there are higher-than-normal levels of some childhood cancers in Dover Township. The report does not say whether the tap water consumed came from private wells or the public water supply.
Officials said the report also does not address whether the mothers or children were living in Dover at the time they reported drinking above average amounts of water.
The final epidemiological report, scheduled for release late next year, will attempt to find connections between a large number of potential risk factors, including exposure to polluted water, and cancer development.
"This is a significant milestone in our epidemiological study," said James S. Blumenstock, senior assistant commissioner for the state Department of Health and Senior Services. "This report does not contain any conclusions."
The information released yesterday included demographic, pregnancy and birth characteristics of both case and control families, as well as family medical history, dietary factors, exposure to alcohol and tobacco, health, medical conditions and medical procedures performed, and household exposures to chemicals, animals and electromagnetic fields caused by appliances like electric blankets.
The massive epidemiological study includes interviews with 40 families whose children developed leukemia, brain or central nervous system cancers while living in Dover between 1979 and 1996. Those 40 children were matched with 159 control families, whose children did not develop the disease.
Each control group child was matched on age, gender and residence in Dover during the month that a specific child with cancer was diagnosed. All but one of the family interviews were conducted by telephone from March 1998 through January 1999.
A second study looked at birth record data only and did not involve any family interviews. For that study, researchers looked at 48 children with cancer whose mother lived in Dover at the time the child was born. Those children were matched with 480 control group children, using gender, year of birth and mother's residence in Dover at the time the child was born.
The study is being conducted by the state health department and the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. The epidemiological study began in April 1997, after preliminary investigations indicated the need to "put Dover Township under the microscope," after researchers found higher-than-normal rates of leukemia, brain and central nervous system cancers among children here.
There was little difference between families of children with cancer and families whose children did not develop the disease for the vast majority of potential cancer risk factors reviewed by researchers, according to Jerald A. Fagliano, a state epidemiologist.
For example, both groups of families consumed about the same amount of fruits and vegetables, and reported similar exposures to home pesticides, pets, tobacco smoke and alcohol.
Researchers did find some differences between families whose children developed cancer and those whose kids did not contract the disease.
In addition to tap water consumption, other findings include:
· Children who developed leukemia were more likely to have used electric blankets or heated water beds. Fagliano said some other studies have shown a link between electric blanket use, which can expose children to electromagnetic fields, and leukemia development, but he stressed that the number of children who were exposed to electric blankets in the Dover study is very small.
· Mothers whose children developed leukemia were less likely to have taken prenatal vitamins during pregnancy. Fagliano said some studies have indicated taking prenatal vitamins during pregnancy may help protect the fetus.
· Children who developed cancer were more likely to have higher birth weights (above nine pounds), while children who developed leukemia were more likely to have had inadequate prenatal care. Mothers whose children developed central nervous system cancers were more likely to have had complications during pregnancy.
Fagliano, who is program manager of Consumer & Environmental Health at the health department, noted that it is unusual for the department to release preliminary results "in the middle of a study."
Health officials said they have attempted to be open and release information to the public on a timely basis throughout the lengthy investigation process.
Families' residence history and parents' occupational history data were not released yesterday, and will instead be included in the final epidemiological study report, researchers said. The final report will use information gathered from a model of Dover's water distribution system in an attempt to determine if families of children who developed cancer consumed more contaminated water than families whose children did not develop the disease.
The interim report findings were presented to about 35 families of children with cancer at a private meeting Sunday evening, Blumenstock said.
Linda L. Gillick, who chairs the Citizens Action Committee on Childhood Cancer, said the families were most concerned that people not draw any conclusions from the interim report.
"We are still looking, and there is a lot more to go," said Gillick, whose 20-year-old son, Michael, has battled neuroblastoma, a form of brain cancer, for most of his life.
Responding to the findings released yesterday, Sen. Frank R. Lautenberg said he remains convinced that ground water contamination may have caused the elevated childhood cancer levels here.
"The report does not include an analysis of all of the risk factors including drinking water pollution, air pollution, the proximity to hazardous waste sites, and the occupations of parents," Lautenberg, D-N.J., said in a prepared statement. ".. Until the analysis is complete, we should continue to treat this case with the greatest care and avoid leaping to premature conclusions."
Published: December 14, 1999
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