At least a dozen residents in the suburb of Charlotte have been diagnosed with a rare form of ocular cancer since 2000, with the majority reported after 2010 — but the source remains unknown.
Dr. Stergios Moschos, an oncology professor in the UNC School of Medicine, said this outbreak is particularly rare.
“It is a cancer of one out of six million and now we have an area of 50,000 residents, and (have) more than 10 cases within this area,” he said.
The cancer is specifically referred to as ocular melanoma, which is noted as lethal by the Ocular Melanoma Foundation. But according to the foundation, the disease is treatable, and self advocacy and healthy lifestyle can help lead to a long and healthy life.
UNC Hospitals stepped in to assist with the investigation and offer a higher level of expertise.
Of particular interest is Hopewell High School, Moschos said. Multiple cases of the rare cancer were found in students attending that school.
Representatives at Hopewell did not respond to requests for comment.
“Because there were three cases from Hopewell High School, and there was one guy who had ocular melanoma and he was one of the construction people there, there was a big emphasis that the ground zero for ocular melanoma was Hopewell High School,” Moschos said.