[CPEO-MEF] Trees may hold clues in Fallon cancer cluster

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Trees may hold clues in Fallon cancer cluster
Researchers try to track down cause of leukemia cases
Frank X. Mullen Jr. 
RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
6/21/2002 10:37 pm 

FALLON ? Independent researchers Friday took core samples from trees 
around Fallon that may help trace the cause of the town?s leukemia 
cluster of 15 children, two of whom have died.

The scientists from the University of Arizona also have taken samples 
from trees in Sierra Vista, Ariz., where seven children have been 
diagnosed with leukemia. Both towns have military air fields and jet 
fuel is a suspected cause of both clusters.

?Jet fuel is one possible cause and we?ll be looking for that in the 
samples as well as other long-chain hydrocarbons and trace metals,? said 
Mark Witten, a professor of pediatrics at UA and a national expert on 
JP-8 jet fuel, which is used at both military bases.

It?s the first time scientists have tried to isolate pollutants from 
tree rings to attempt to determine the cause of a cancer cluster. They 
will attempt to build an environmental profile of both communities from 
traces left in the tree rings.

This article can be viewed in its entirety at:
http://www.rgj.com//news/stories/html/2002/06/21/17422.php

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