Eight people died of glioblastoma out of the 9 cases identified. In the area concerned, the incidence rate of the tumor is 3 times higher than the departmental average.
Concern has been growing since the 1980s in the Gard: the inhabitants of Salindres fear for their health. The area is an important industrial basin, specializing in chemicals and aluminium. Between 2006 and 2015, 9 people were diagnosed with malignant primary tumors of the central nervous system, called glioblastoma. According to a study by Public health Francepublished Tuesday, February 4, these data justify the “implementation of a preliminary environmental investigation” and “the continuation of health monitoring”.
Aggressive tumors
Glioblastomas are rare tumors: there would be between 3 and 3.5 cases per 100,000 inhabitants each year. The diagnosis is generally made around the age of 65 and men are more affected than women. This type of cancer is particularly aggressive, the 10-year survival rate of patients does not exceed 5%. According to researchers from Public Health France, few patients would survive beyond a year. In the Salindres region, 8 people died among the 9 cases detected. Existing treatments do not completely cure patients, but they do improve their quality and life expectancy. Scientific research on immunotherapy and targeted therapies could lead to the development of new strategies for processing.
The ionizing radiation involved
The precise causes of glioblastoma are unknown, although medical research has identified ionizing radiation as a risk factor. In its report, Public Health France specifies that the first environmental checks have precisely made it possible to identify two sources of ionizing radiation in the sector of the chemical platform of Salindres. Other elements could explain the large number of cases recorded between 2006 and 2015. Research aims to clarify the origin of this “grouping of cases”, as it is qualified by Public Health France. At the same time, investigations will be carried out to find out the number of glioblastoma cases between 2016 and 2019.
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