Cancer Cluster in Dalton, Georgia? Part 7

For seven days now, we've been looking into what some are calling a cancer cluster in the Dalton, Georgia area. Our investigation continues Wednesday.

Again, here are the numbers. We've combined what we've been told by the tumor registrar at Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton and people who say they or their family members have been diagnosed with Glioblastoma. We've come up with a total of at least 21 cases of Glioblastoma reported in Whitfield County between 1999 and 2007. Studies show the rare brain cancer occurs in one in 50,000 people per year. But the Census Bureau estimates Whitfield County's 2005 population is almost 91 thousand people.

This week NewsChannel 9's Kim Fields has been talking with some of the world's leading authorities on brain cancer. Kim spent Wednesday trying to make sense of these numbers with a prominent specialist in this type of cancer at Vanderbilt University.

Denise Patterson lost her husband to Glioblastoma. "We wonder how many cases are out there we don't even know about." It's a question that weighs heavily on the mind of Patterson and others who say they or a loved one's been diagnosed with Glioblastoma. They argue too many people with ties to Dalton, Georgia have the rare brain cancer. The group's frustrated because they say no one with the state of Georgia's been looking into it.

But with a lot of digging and phone calling, we found one doctor who is, Dr. Reid Thompson at Vanderbilt University.

This map is part of his research. [Note: To see map, go to the Video Section of NewsChannel 9's Website, click on "Cancer Cluster? Day 7"] Dr. Thompson says the Southeast U.S. is a "hot spot" for all brain cancers, not just Glioblastoma. The darker the shade of red, the more cases of brain cancer.

Dr. Thompson is now embarking on what he calls the largest study of its kind to learn more about the hot spot. But, the numbers aren't surprising to those in Dalton, Georgia.

Michael Blalock says his stepfather has Glioblastoma, 'I've seen in some research that I've done, that Dalton, Georgia is just like a big cluster."

NewsChannel 9's talked with nine people who say they or a loved one has Glioblastoma. This map shows where the nine people live. Three of them reside outside Dalton. One each in Chattanooga and Ooltewah, Tennessee and one in Trenton, Georgia. But those three say they worked or attended school in Dalton. Now looking at just the Dalton area, you can see where the remaining six people live. Some live about four miles apart.

Andy Reed says he has Glioblastoma, "It just don't add up compared to anywhere else in the country."

The Mayor of Dalton, Georgia says he's "heard absolutely nothing officially or unofficially regarding a cancer cluster." There are others who say the number of cases are coincidence. That's why NewsChannel 9's Kim Fields is in Nashville. She's asking one of the leading authorities on brain cancer what he thinks. Her report continues Thursday on NewsChannel 9 at 5:30pm.