Childhood leukemia in Woburn, Massachusetts
Possible associations between environmental hazards and the occurrence of childhood leukemia were investigated in Woburn, MA, for the period 1969-79. Residents of Woburn were concerned over what they perceived to be a large number of childhood leukemia cases; at the same time there was extensive publicity about uncontrolled hazardous waste sites in Woburn, which resulted in its being placed on the Superfund list. Many believed that the elevated rate of childhood leukemia was related to these sites or to two city water wells that had been closed in 1979 when they were found to be contaminated by organic chemicals. An occurrence was defined as childhood leukemia when it was diagnosed in a Woburn resident less than 20 years old between 1969 and 1979 and confirmed by review of hospital and pathology records. This investigation confirmed an increase in incidence which was distributed uniformly over the 11-year period. Six of the persons with leukemia were located close to each other in one census tract, 7.5 times the expected number. Parents of the children and of two matched control groups were interviewed about medical history, mother's pregnancy history, school history, and environmental exposures. There were no significant differences between the leukemia victims and persons in the control groups. No leukemia sufferer had contact with a hazardous waste site. While the contaminants of Wells G and H, which had been closed, are not known leukemogens, it is not possible to rule out exposure to this water as a factor, particularly in the eastern Woburn residents.
- Research Organization:
- Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health, Boston
- OSTI ID:
- 5672072
- Journal Information:
- Public Health Rep.; (United States), Vol. 2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Superfund at work: Hazardous waste cleanup efforts nationwide, winter 1993. (Wells G and H Site, Woburn, Massachusetts)
Molecular epidemiology of childhood leukemia with emphasis on chemical exposures
Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CHILDREN
LEUKEMIA
EPIDEMIOLOGY
WATER SUPPLY
CONTAMINATION
XENOBIOTICS
HEALTH HAZARDS
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
MASSACHUSETTS
ORGANIC WASTES
PROBABILITY
SUPERFUND
AGE GROUPS
DISEASES
FEDERAL REGION I
HAZARDS
HEMIC DISEASES
LAWS
MATERIALS
NEOPLASMS
NORTH AMERICA
POLLUTION LAWS
USA
WASTES
560306* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology- Man- (-1987)
520200 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
550900 - Pathology