Published in the Asbury Park Press
JEAN MIKLE
TOMS RIVER BUREAU
TOMS RIVER -- State and federal health officials will discuss the results of an epidemiological study of children with cancer here at a meeting scheduled for 6 p.m. today at the Dover Township municipal building, 33 Washington St.
The meeting is a follow-up to the Dec. 18 release of the epidemiological study, the final report in the nearly six-year investigation into possible causes of elevated rates of childhood cancer in Dover. The report was released by the state Department of Health and Senior Services and the federal Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry.
Researchers were unable to pinpoint any one environmental factor to elevated rates of childhood leukemia, brain and central nervous system cancers in Dover. But scientists did find that exposure to contaminated drinking water, and to air emissions from the former Ciba--Geigy Corp. plant, were associated with elevated levels of leukemia in girls.
Scientists stressed that the public is no longer in danger from the pollutants mentioned in the report, because the contamination sources have either been cleaned up or cut off by ongoing treatment processes.
Researchers have also stressed that the limited number of cases included in the study makes it impossible to draw any concrete conclusions from the results.
Published in the Asbury Park Press 2/11/02
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