Pitt looks to recruit Southwestern Pa. families for childhood cancer study
Sep. 10—Several thousand parents across eight Southwestern Pennsylvania counties are being asked to participate in a University of Pittsburgh study examining a possible link between fracking — or other environmental risk factors — and childhood cancer.
Researchers from Pitt's Graduate School of Public Health are hoping for a response from more than 200 of the recipients by week's end as they compile a control group for the state-funded study.
Epidemiologist Evelyn Talbott, who is leading the study, said her team has interviewed about 220 families in the region whose children have been diagnosed with cancer.
Although last week's mailings are aimed at parents of children not affected by cancer, Talbott is hoping they'll think, "Maybe this isn't helping me, but maybe I can do it for the common good."
For comparison, data is needed from twice as many control families with cancer-free children who match the ill children in age range, gender and county of residence.
"We need a total of 440 (control) families, and we have about half that," Talbott said. "We're interested in their residential history in proximity to hydraulic fracking and other industries."
Information publicly available from birth certificates was used to target the mailings.
Talbott said her team is expected to present its findings to state officials by Nov. 15.
The study is one of two Pitt is conducting under a $2.5 million contract with the state Department of Health.
When the study was first announced in late 2020, the Marcellus Shale Coalition said the protection of health and safety for communities and its workforce "is our industry's top commitment and focus every single day."
The second study is examining the potential relationship between fracking and two health conditions in the region: asthma and adverse birth outcomes such as low birth weight.
Talbott's team is looking at children who have been diagnosed with childhood leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, central nervous system tumors or Ewing's/bone cancers from 2010-19.
The Department of Health published a March 2020 report on the number of occurrences of Ewing's family of tumors — a kind of cancerous tumor found in bones or soft tissue — in Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties.
The report found that the childhood cancer rate and the rate of Ewing's tumors was slightly higher in fracking counties than others — but not enough to be statistically significant.
Numerous studies have been published in recent years implying the long-term impacts of living near fracking sites, citing contamination to water and air and linking the practice to a variety of health issues. Still, advocates argue research has been inconclusive, and fracking remains a staple in Southwestern Pennsylvania.
After the results of the Pitt study are complete, Talbott said, "It's very possible we'll be allaying fears. Some people think (a cancer link) is not even a real situation, but other people are very concerned who may live near different industries, and there is always a concern about occupational and environmental exposure.
"If we do find something, we feel we should meet it head-on."
The mailing for the PA Health and Environment Study includes a QR code recipients can scan to gain access to an online survey. It is expected to take up to 20 minutes to complete.
Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jeff by email at jhimler@triblive.com or via Twitter .
