An assessment by the
”I was crying and frustrated," after learning about the cancer cluster, resident
Creosote, deemed a probable human carcinogen, was used for more than 80 years in a rail yard in the historically black area, until the 1980s, the Chronicle reported.
The assessment found that the number of lung and bronchus cancers was, on average, 36% higher than would be expected, esophagus cancers almost 63% higher and larynx cancers 90% higher. But the study cautioned that lifestyle and other factors also could be a cause, and it did not account for how long residents had lived in the area.
Still, “the contaminants in the plume are linked to those specific cancers,” found in the assessment, said
The study was completed in August but the city and residents were never notified by the state. The city health department learned about it at the end of November, officials said.
“The fact that there has been shockingly little communication between the state and community is astounding," said
The state environment agency did not immediately respond to an
Hopkins said city health officials have asked the state for additional studies to determine if there is an environmental link, and to consider liver cancer and non-cancer health effects, which she said also can be caused by chemicals in the plume.
In addition, the city health department will conduct a door-to-door health survey, and gather information about people who might have moved away before they were diagnosed with cancer, she said.
Hopkins said even if an environmental link were proven, it likely would have been caused by exposure when pollution levels were higher, because it takes a long time for cancer to develop.
Still, she said she was “very surprised” by the findings because it's often difficult to detect cancer clusters.
”I just feel the anxiety the citizens are suffering from living over this and finding out about the cancer cluster," she said. “It is tragic, and they are frustrated that things aren't moving faster.”
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