Shannon residents have heightened levels of liver, biliary tract cancer, study finds

A vast study of past and present residents of Shannon, Que. has concluded those residentshave a higher incidenceof liver and biliary tract cancer than other Quebecers but researchers don't know if Shannon's history of contaminated water is to blame.

The regional health authorityin the Quebec City region, the CIUSSSde la Capitale Nationale, released the findings Thursday.

TCE-laced water discovered in 1997

This is the first time public health officials have issued a report onthe potential impact ofTrichloroethylene (TCE) contamination on the health of the community.

It comes 19 years after the industrial solvent was first found to have leaked into the drinking-water supply system on the neighbouringValcartier military base.

In 2001,TCE, which is commonly used as a degreasing agent,was detected in private wells inShannon.

Some Shannon wells tested since have recorded levels of TCE 180 times what is considered acceptable by Health Canada.

Residents believe the contamination has ledto higher than average rates of cancer.

Health records examined

TheCIUSSlooked at the health records of 17,397 people who lived in Shannon between January 1987 and the end of February, 2001.

It found 10 incidents of liver or biliary tract cancer between 1987 and 2010 double the rate observed overall in Quebec in a similar population.

Researchers also examined the incidence rate of three other kinds of cancer: kidney, brain and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. However, they did not find elevated incidencerates for those specific cancers, nor for cancer in general.

Report should be reassuring, says public health director

The director of public health at the CIUSSS, Dr. Franois Desbiens,said he hopes the findings reassure people in Shannon that they're not at greater risk for most types ofcancer than any other Quebec resident.

"We're telling the people they should not be afraid, not stressed about the health hazards related to TCE, because there is no more Trichloroethylenesince 2001," Desbiens said.