Ladera Ranch erupts as cancer bosses release new figures on extremely rare cluster striking kids

Parents in a wealthy California community say newly released state cancer figures have only fueled fears that years of pesticide spraying could be linked to a cluster of rare childhood cancers.Families in Orange County’s Ladera Ranch have spent months pushing officials to investigate whether environmental factors played a role in an alarming number of Ewing sarcoma diagnoses among local children.Health officials say no link has been established, but residents argue the latest data has only raised more questions.The California Cancer Registry confirmed there were fewer than 11 cases of Ewing sarcoma in Ladera Ranch during a 10-year period ending in 2021.But for many parents, the numbers are already outdated.The data does not include several diagnoses reported after 2021, including 17-year-old Brody Matteson, who died in March 2026 after battling the rare bone and soft tissue cancer.“Has that number grown?” Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley asked CBS.“If it has grown, has it grown to a significant incident that it would be a cause for alarm.

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Never miss a story Foley said she has repeatedly asked for more detailed information, including a map showing where Orange County’s cases have occurred, but has not been able to obtain one.“There are 35 cases in Orange County as of 2021,” she said.“I have asked multiple times, can we get a map that shows that pinpoints where these 35 cases are in Orange County? So far, no one has been able to get me that information.”Instead of easing fears, the state’s numbers have left residents demanding even more answers.Many families have pointed to years of pesticide and herbicide use throughout the sp...