Health Department releases new report about glioblastoma cases in St. Lucie County
St Lucie County, Fl- The Florida Department of Health has released its latest report tied to concerns about seemingly high numbers of glioblastoma cases in St. Lucie County.
The 21-page report details the number of cases from 1998 to 2017 in three zip codes: 34982, 34983 and 34952. Overall, the state recorded approximately 60 cases of glioblastoma during that time frame, for both men and women. The ages ranged from younger than 20-years-old to older than 80-years-old.
The Florida Department of Health concluded that even though some areas had higher than expected numbers, there were no statistically significant differences in the number of observed cases than expected cases for all three zip codes. For example, from 1998 to 2007, the “expected” number of cases for men in 34952 was 10.4.
The actual number of cases was 17. State health officials say the numbers can fluctuate from year to year, without raising concern about a potential cluster. However, state officials say they do not have an exact number for what would be considered a statistically high incidence rate. This leaves room for concern for local families.
The report also says state health officials researched the FPL power plant and found no increased levels of radiation. They said air, soil, water vegetation, and fish are regularly tested for radiation. They also reviewed records already on file for drinking water and found no concerns, but said private wells would not be regularly tested like city water.
Here is a link to the full report.
