According to federal health officials, military members who were stationed at Camp Lejeune from 1975 to 1985 faced a 20% increased risk of developing certain types of cancer compared to those stationed at other locations. This information was revealed in a highly anticipated study on the base’s polluted drinking water in North Carolina.

Federal health officials called the research one the largest ever done in the United States to assess cancer risk by comparing a group who live and worked in a polluted environment to a similar group that did not.

The research revealed that individuals serving in the military at the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune had an increased likelihood of developing certain types of leukemia, lymphoma, and cancers of the lung, breast, throat, esophagus, and thyroid. Additionally, civilians employed at the base also had a higher risk for a smaller number of cancers.

According to David Savitz, a disease researcher from Brown University who is working with lawyers representing the plaintiffs in Camp Lejeune-related lawsuits, the study is “remarkable.” However, it cannot be considered definitive evidence that the contaminated drinking water was responsible for the development of cancers.

He stated that this is not a matter that we can definitively resolve. We are discussing exposures that occurred decades ago and were not properly documented.

However, he stated that the recent study will provide further support for the claims of individuals who became ill after residing and working at the military base.

During the 1940s, Camp Lejeune was constructed in a sandy pine forest located along the coast of North Carolina. Unfortunately, its drinking water became contaminated with industrial solvents from the 1950s to 1985. This contamination was discovered in the early 1980s and was attributed to a fuel depot that was not properly maintained, as well as indiscriminate dumping on the base and from a dry cleaner located off-base.

Prior to the closure of the wells, polluted water was transported through pipelines to various locations including barracks, offices, housing for enlisted families, schools, and the base’s hospital. Members of the military and their families consumed, cooked with, and used this water for bathing.

The pollution has led to numerous lawsuits by legal firms that have actively pursued potential clients through television advertisements.

Individuals who became ill after being at Camp Lejeune have filed complaints against the Marine Corps for neglecting to prioritize the well-being of its personnel and have voiced their disappointment with the government’s delayed response in conducting an investigation. Marine Corps authorities have consistently stated that federal guidelines for these hazardous substances were not established until 1989, after the wells had been closed.

The Atlanta-based sister agency of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, known as the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), has conducted several studies on health issues among individuals at Camp Lejeune. These studies, which were smaller in scale compared to the current one, investigated various topics such as rates of male breast cancer and birth defects in children born to military personnel stationed at the base.

Previous research indicated potential health hazards, but according to Richard Clapp, a retired public health professor from Boston University who has contributed to previous studies on Camp Lejeune, the latest findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of the situation.

Dr. Aaron Bernstein, director of the environmental health programs at the ATSDR and CDC, praised the new study for being larger and more thorough than previous research.

The ATSDR conducted a study on cancer rates among approximately 211,000 individuals who were either stationed or employed at Camp Lejeune between 1975 and 1985. They compared these rates to those of approximately 224,000 individuals at Camp Pendleton in California, which did not have a history of contaminated groundwater during the same time period.

Frank Bove, a seasoned epidemiologist, has headed the research on Camp Lejeune for a considerable amount of time and was responsible for conducting the most recent study. He depended on the assistance of employees at Battelle Memorial Institute and other sources to thoroughly examine cancer registries throughout the nation in search of cases connected to the military base.

A comparable amount of malignant cancers, approximately 12,000, were discovered in both groups. However, the figures and corresponding risks derived from those figures were greater in the Camp Lejeune community for a variety of specific cancer types. This included certain types that were not clearly indicated in prior research, such as thyroid cancer, as noted by Clapp.

In August 2022, President Joe Biden signed a federal law that contained provisions for individuals who suffered health issues that they believe were caused by the Camp Lejeune water contamination. This law allowed them a two-year period to submit claims.

The recent research could potentially result in incorporating thyroid cancer to the roster of illnesses that could potentially be covered by compensation for Camp Lejeune personnel and their families in the future, according to Clapp.

According to agency officials, the paper has undergone external peer review and is now being sent for publication.

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