The Acreage Cancer Study

A SUPERFUND site is essentially a Federally declared contamination site. According to the dictionary the definition is:

Superfund - the federal government's program to locate and investigate and clean up the worst uncontrolled and abandoned toxic waste sites nationwide; administered by the Environmental Protection Agency; "some have intimated that the Superfund's money may have turned into a political slush fund"

Pratt and Whitney was declared a SUPERFUND site in 1984. They were removed from the National Priorities List (NPL) in 1989. They are still being monitored by the EPA .

Pratt and Whitney moved to rural West Palm Beach County (a triangular shaped lot comprised of approx 6,000 acres) in 1958. From 1958 to 1984 (or longer), the rocket testing facility was unregulated. Toxic chemicals were held in holding ponds.

4. Should I get an MRI?

If you are concerned that you or your loved one may have a brain tumor you should try to have an MRI done. You should first meet with your regular doctor and tell them about your concerns; this may include informing them about the cancer study. Write down your symptoms. If you are having serious problems you may want to go to the hospital. If you are unsured, check to see which hospitals near you accept the uninsured.

This concern was mentioned at the meeting with Senator Nelson and he stated that we would try to find accommodations through the State for those individuals.

Right now we are trying to gather a list of individuals in need of medical attention. Our goal is to try and help you obtain the health care necessary for you to address your medical concerns.

If you believe you have a brain tumor and you are unable to see a medical doctor, please email us at info@theacreagecancerstudy.com and we will try to assist you.

5. Why don't we have legal counsel already?

We are currently working with Weitz & Luxenberg, the law firm associated with Erin Brockovich, in an attempt to find a causal element. A mass toxic tort like this could costs upwards of $5 Million dollars just to try. Therefore, Weitz & Luxenberg is doing research first to ensure that this is a case they can afford to take.

Our goal is that the affected families and the community remain united. As more updates regarding legal counsel come up - which they will soon - we will let everyone know.

UPDATE: We now have legal counsel. We are working with Weitz & Luxenberg in New York and Searcy, Denny, Scarola, Barnhart & Shipley here in West Palm Beach.

If you have question about our legal counsel, please feel free to contact:

Jessica Isacharoff via email at: jissacharoff@weitzlux.com

Or by phone at: 212-558-5500

 6. Why should I become a member of this website?

The most important reason to become a member is to be included in the updates that we send out via email. We sometimes get short notice updates about meetings or new information and we will send that out to all of our website members via email. Therefore, if you want to be included in this information then you would want to become a member of the website.

7. Are Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) brain tumors different/the same as Astrocytomas?

8. What is the difference between a benign or a malignant brain tumor?

The following answer is from the American Brain Tumor Association:

The words “benign” or “malignant” generally refer to how unusual the tumor cells look under a microscope when compared to normal brain cells. Tumors with cells that look similar to normal cells, yet aren’t quite normal, are called “benign” tumors. Tumor cells that are very different in appearance are called “malignant.” And between the “not quite normal” and the “very unusual” are the tumors referred to as low grade or mid-grade.

A "benign" brain tumor consists of very slow growing cells, usually has distinct borders, and rarely spreads. When viewed microscopically, the cells have an almost normal appearance. Surgery alone might be an effective treatment for this type of tumor. A brain tumor composed of benign cells, but located in a vital area, can be considered to be life-threatening - although the tumor and its cells would not be classified as "malignant."

A malignant brain tumor is life-threatening, invasive, and tend to grow at a more rapid pace than a benign tumor. Malignant brain tumors are sometimes called brain cancer even though they do not meet the true definition of “cancer.” (Since primary brain tumors rarely spread outside the brain and spinal cord, they do not exactly fit the general definition of "cancer" -- a tumor that has the ability to spread to other organs of the body. Since primary brain tumors tend to stay in the brain, they do not meet the true definition of cancer.) Thus, within the brain tumor community, you’ll hear the words "benign" or "malignant."

Benign brain tumors may be considered malignant if they are located in a part of the brain that controls vital life functions, such as heartbeat or breathing.

Some types of malignant brain tumors can spread to other locations in the brain and spine, but they rarely spread to other parts of the body. They lack distinct borders due to their tendency to send "roots" into nearby normal tissue. They can also shed cells that travel to distant parts of the brain and spine by way of the cerebrospinal fluid. Some malignant tumors, however, do remain localized to a region of the brain or spinal cord.