Residents of Ladera Ranch Raise Concerns Over Possible Link Between Pesticide Use and Rare Childhood Cancer
In Ladera Ranch, Orange County, community members have reported multiple cases of Ewing sarcoma and other cancers, prompting calls for investigation into the area’s extensive pesticide applications.
At least six children in the Ladera Ranch community of Orange County have been diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a rare bone and soft-tissue cancer that affects roughly 200 to 240 children nationwide each year. Residents say a recent informal survey posted in a local Facebook group generated 62 responses indicating additional cancer cases, including brain tumors, and a number of pets with cancer.
Attorney and resident Jackie French, who began tracking the issue after a neighbor’s son died of Ewing sarcoma, has filed public-records requests and compiled data showing that 17 different pesticides and herbicides were applied in June, with applications occurring almost daily. She noted that notices of these applications are posted on a website that is not easily accessible to the public.
"We don’t know for sure what is causing this, and we don’t know if it’s an official cancer cluster yet," French said. "We just know it looks highly unusual to have this much cancer, specifically rare forms of it, in our community."
The Ladera Ranch Maintenance Corporation (LARMAC), which manages the community’s landscaping, expressed sympathy for affected families and said there is no evidence linking its practices to the illnesses. The organization said it follows an Integrated Pest Management program that aims to limit synthetic pesticide use and announced plans to form an advisory committee to review current practices.
The California Cancer Registry has reportedly begun reviewing the reported cases, though officials indicated the process could take several months. The Orange County Health Care Agency is also said to have reopened its review after renewed community requests.
Environmental health expert Bruce Blumberg of the University of California, Irvine, said the residents’ concerns merit careful consideration, even though a direct causal relationship has not been established. He suggested that communities should prioritize organic or low-toxicity alternatives for landscape management.
Residents continue to request greater transparency about pesticide applications and a shift toward safer landscaping methods.