The News & Reporter of Chester CountyPhoto by Stephen Guilfoyle
editor@onlinechester.com
Lung cancer and deaths from lung cancer are "significantly" higher than expected in the Great Falls area, a state study shows.
The area has almost 20 percent higher than expected cases of cancer, according to a survey done by the state at the request of a former Chester County councilman.
The state Department of Health and Environmental Control has now done "cancer cluster" surveys of the ZIP codes for the county's four major towns at its request.
Separate surveys for each area show that from 2001 to 2005, expected incidents of cancer in:• the Fort Lawn ZIP were 10 percent higher than expected;
• the Great Falls ZIP were 19.8 percent higher than expected; and
• the Richburg ZIP were 2 pecent higher than expected; and
Combined, that's about 8.2 percent higher than expected for the four ZIP codes.
The N&R previously reported on the Chester ZIP code findings.Former County Coun-cilman Tom Hamilton, himself a cancer survivor, requested the surveys. He received a report on the Chester ZIP code last month, and last week, he received "the rest of the story."
He said people have been coming up to him since The N&R reported the Chester ZIP code results two weeks ago. Comments range from curiosity to concern, he says.
"People are talking about this," he said. Almost everyone has had some form of cancer hit them or their family. "It strikes a nerve."
To read the complete article, follow this link:
http://www.onlinechester.com/cgi-bin/storyviewnew.cgi?155+News.2008718-5934-155-155007.Full+News
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