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The Alabama Public Health Department announced Wednesday that it had found no evidence of a group of eye cancers among students and employees of the University of Alabama. Auburn University.
This announcement comes a few months after the health department announced that it was working with the university to study cases of ocular or uveal melanoma in people with Auburn ties.
ADPH would verify that patients had the type of cancer under study and its origin in the eye, rather than metastases, and Auburn would confirm when that person was studying in Auburn or had worked there.
"The analysis was conducted for students who attended university or employees who were working for Auburn University at any time from 1980," according to a press release from the state health department. "The study included confirmed cases that were diagnosed at any time between 1990 and 2017. Seventeen people, nine men and eight women, met the inclusion criteria."
Several cases of cancer have been reported among the former and former employees of Auburn University, who initiated the study.
Ashley McCrary, graduate of Auburn in 1992, was diagnosed with cancer of the eye in 2012. She explained to her doctor that she knew of two other women who had gone to Auburn and had the same type of cancer.
"It was like," There is no way. It is not possible for you to know anyone who has this; it's so rare, "McCrary told the Opelika-Auburn News in May. "I said," No, they both have their eyes removed. They both live in Birmingham. He added, "It would really surprise me if they both had the same cancer. I was just inflexible because I knew.
McCrary created the Ocular Melanoma Facebook page of Auburn University and formed an entire community of people with eye cancer and Auburn-related cancer. The group has 47 members, according to an article posted on the Facebook page earlier this month.
The uveal melanoma is a cancer of the eye involving the iris, ciliary body or choroid, collectively called the uvea, according to the Department of Health. The melanoma of the uvea, which affects five in a million people, is not known.
The university has updated a page of its website on frequently asked questions about ocular melanoma on Wednesday in response to the announcement of the PHDA.
The health department first analyzed data from the Alabama state's cancer registry in order to compare the residents of Lee County with the rest of the state, the report said. Auburn website. The ADPH also used monitoring program data, epidemiology and end-of-year results to compare county rates to national rates.
"This analysis revealed no significant elevation of uveal melanoma cases among Lee County residents relative to Alabama rates or national rates," reads on the site.
"The number of cases seen among Auburn students and staff was found to be within normal limits, using ASCR and SEER data as a comparison group. Therefore, cases (uveal melanoma) among Auburn students and employees were not considered a cluster. "
Although the state health department does not consider cases of ocular melanoma among people with connections to Auburn as a "cluster," the university plans to continue working with the ADHD to collect and analyze data.
"Since learning that eye melanoma has been diagnosed in many members of the Auburn family, we have collaborated with the country's melanoma experts and are working closely with public health officials in the state," says the website. Auburn. "These communications are ongoing because the experts are helping to determine next steps for the best interests of patients battling this cancer."
In a statement to the Opelika-Auburn News Wednesday evening, McCrary wrote that on behalf of the more than 45 people who reported their diagnosis and affiliation to Auburn, the group will continue to work with researchers to determine its findings. There is a link to the cause of cancer.
"We appreciate the work and time that Justin George and the Alabama Health Department put into their analysis," she said. "However, we always knew that it would not fit the definition of a cluster. This does not change our course of action, or that of the university as it appears from the statement issued today by the university: "What is it?" As such, Auburn will continue to collaborate on research efforts to identify the cause of uveal melanoma and possible treatment or cure.
Auburn Ocular Melanoma Group's goal is to raise $ 135,000 to fund research to find a cause and cure for ocular melanoma. Anyone interested in learning more or making a donation can visit the group's website at www.eyepatchchallenge.org.
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