The epidemiological study conducted since March by Public Health France (SpF) on grouped cases of pediatric cancers in the sector of Sainte-Pazanne, in Loire-Atlantique, near Nantes, failed to identify a common cause, announced Tuesday the Regional Health Agency (ARS) Pays de la Loire.
The epidemiological analysis, whose results were presented Monday to the families, "validates the fact that the number of pediatric cancers on the sector of the 7 communes (studied, ed) on the period 2015-2019 is greater than what the we observe on average in France ". On the other hand, the epidemiological questionnaire sent to 13 affected families did not identify any common risk factor already documented in the scientific literature.
Public Health France recommends "active surveillance"
The living conditions of the mother before, during and after the pregnancy, the father's life, the children's eating habits, places of vacation, schooling, childcare, etc., have been questioned. "The results of this work lead Public Health France to conclude the presence of a spatio-temporal cluster without common cause identified," said the statement. This leads the health agency to recommend "not to continue epidemiological investigations locally" and "not to undertake additional environmental investigations and levies". SpF proposes to "put in place active surveillance to identify any new cancer cases in the sector".
Contacted by AFP, the collective "Stop cancer of our children", which counts 17 cancer cases and lists four children who died, was not reachable.
Public meeting scheduled for November 25
Regarding housing built on the former site Leduc, where were manufactured of frames, the analyzes "discard the existence of a health risk for the inhabitants of these dwellings". Additional analyzes will however be conducted. Environmental measures are also planned in 17 housing units for children with cancer by the end of January 2020 as well as a second campaign of "removal of doubt" in the Notre-Dame de Lourdes school in Sainte-Pazanne.
The health agency recognizes that scientific knowledge "on the causes of childhood cancer and the potential role of environmental exposures in this process remain fragmented". "Basic research (...) should allow in the future to enrich knowledge and improve the investigation tools available to answer the questions of the population," she said.
A public meeting is scheduled for November 25 in the town hall of Sainte-Pazanne.