Dec 14, 2007 6:40 pm US/Eastern
Report Rules Out Radar Station As Cancer Cause
CAPE COD, Mass. (WBZ) ―
The state has released a report on the high rate of cancer among children living on Cape Cod and has ruled out a military radar station as a cause.
Families on the Cape have fought for years to find out whether a military radar station is responsible for the high number of Ewing's Sarcoma cases among children.
In its report, the state said it found that the Pave Paws radar system is not the smoking gun when it comes to elevated child cancer rates on Cape Cod.
Two years ago, a federal study reached a similar conclusion. Nonetheless, the state wanted to conduct its own investigation, and now the state and the families will have to look elsewhere for answers.
"What they're saying is the data they have from this round of tests doesn't show it to be a cause," said Dennis resident Bernard Young.
Young's 22-year-old daughter has a rare bone cancer as do several other kids on Cape Cod. Young said he suspects the Air Force radar station on Cape Cod is making kids sick, and he pushed the state to investigate.
After a year-long study of testing radiation levels on Cape Cod streets, the state says Pave Paws is probably not to blame.
"The results of our work today show that we do not believe that Pave Paws has been the primary factor related to Ewings on the Cape," said State House investigator Suzanne Condon.
Dennis resident Ken Leandre also attended the state's briefing on its report Friday. His son Jordan also has Ewing's Sarcoma. Jordan thrilled New England when he ran the bases of Fenway Park last August.
"We'll continue to hopefully find an answer," Leandre said. "They're going to keep looking and that's all we can ask."
Since 2002, six children from Falmouth to Brewster have been diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma. State officials admit that's an elevated number.
Parents on the Cape believe it's almost seven times the expected number of cases.
"We will be getting more detailed information on other environmental exposure opportunities, as well as a range of other information," Condon said.
The focus of the state investigation had been the Air Force radar station in Sagamore not far from the bridge. The signal from the sophisticated military radar system sweeps the entire east coast, keeping Americans safe from attack.
The Air Force has always maintained that there is no evidence to suggest that radiation from Pave Paws causes disease.
The Air Force had no comment Friday but said it will review the state's report.
The investigation into the elevated cancer rate continues, and the state said it will look into ground water contamination as it relates to the Ewing's Sarcoma cases on the Cape.
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