To understand the excess cases of pediatric cancers, the stages of the investigations that will be carried out in Sainte-Pazanne have been unveiled.
In Loire-Atlantique, an investigation was opened in Sainte-Pazanne, to understand the excess of cancer cases in children and adolescents in this restricted area of 6,500 inhabitants. The stages of this investigation have been detailed.
“We are going to investigate the cases of pediatric cancers diagnosed over a period of time ranging from 2015 to 2019 in the municipality of Sainte-Pazanne and the neighboring municipalities”, namely Port-Saint-Père, Saint-Mars-de-Coutais, Machecoul -Saint-Même, Villeneuve-en-Retz, Saint-Hilaire-de-Chaléons and Rouans, list Lisa King, from Public health France.
Thirteen cases of childhood and adolescent cancers
The survey will be carried out in two areas: first a survey in the field with the reported families, then an epidemiological survey. “This is called raising doubts on a certain number of sites on which we have had reports”, explains Nicolas Durand, deputy director general of ARS Pays de la Loire.
Thirteen cases of childhood and adolescent cancer, including three fatalities, were identified by a group of parents, who had alerted the authorities. At the origin of this initiative, a mother: Marie Thibaud. Her son, Alban, is the first of nine children to declare cancer. In December 2015, he was diagnosed with leukemia at 4 years old. “During the last three years, there have been a number of children who have continued to report cancer here. Alban first, then another child in March 2016, then another, then yet another, another “, says this mother during a press conference.
A multitude of factors
“During the first report, an investigation was carried out and concluded that an excess of cases was plausible, without being able to put forward an environmental factor”, explains the ARS to Ouest-France. But since then, new cases have emerged.
A multitude of factors can explain these cancers: high voltage lines, telephone waves, pesticides, stress, groundwater pollution, radon, this natural gas present in the region… Public Health France will have to return its conclusions in September.
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