A cluster of rare childhood cancers in Southern California has expanded with the identification of a second uncommon diagnosis, as residents in Ladera Ranch grapple with an increasing number of affected children.
Jessica Keetch of Orange County revealed that her 18-year-old daughter, Haven, lost a leg after battling synovial sarcoma, an aggressive soft tissue cancer that is rare in the United States, affecting fewer than 1,000 people annually. This diagnosis comes amid growing concern over a dozen cases of Ewing sarcoma, an exceptionally rare bone and soft tissue cancer, within the Ladera Ranch community. Ewing sarcoma typically affects only about 200 to 240 children and teenagers nationwide each year.
Furious families are seeking answers, with some demanding investigations into potential environmental factors, including pesticide use. However, authorities have stated that no link has been established.
"I think people need to listen and wake up and realize something is happening to our children. This is not random," Keetch told NBC4, expressing the distress of parents in the community. Megan Matteson, whose son Brody died in March from Ewing sarcoma and treatment-related leukemia, shared similar sentiments.
"To have three families that just contacted me right away after Brody was diagnosed was helpful but scary at the same time," Matteson said. "These are our children. These are our babies," Keetch added. "I raised my children in Ladera, thinking it’s safe. Maybe there's no safe community, but if we can do better, we need to do better."
The law firm Bond Legal has launched an investigation into the cases, seeking information from families whose children lived in or regularly visited the community. The firm emphasized that while the concentration of cases in one area is troubling, multiple diagnoses do not prove environmental exposure caused the illnesses, and legal claims would require scientific, medical, and factual evidence.
In response to ongoing community concerns, officials have begun reviewing updated cancer data. Representatives from the California Cancer Registry, the UCI Cancer Center, and the Orange County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office met and agreed to conduct an updated review. Findings are expected to be shared in the coming weeks.
The California Department of Public Health cautioned that an apparent increase in cases within a small geographic area does not necessarily indicate a true cancer cluster or a shared common cause. The department evaluates suspected clusters by comparing diagnosed cases against expected rates based on statewide data, age groups, and population size.
Residents have increasingly questioned whether widespread herbicide and pesticide applications in the community could be contributing to the illnesses, though public health officials have not identified any environmental cause or linked landscaping practices to the reported cancers. Some researchers believe reducing exposure to potentially toxic chemicals is a prudent precaution.
"Unless there’s a compelling reason to continue to use toxic chemicals, it makes a lot of sense to not use them," Dr. Bruce Blumberg, a professor at the University of California, Irvine, told NBC Los Angeles, adding that non-toxic alternatives exist for weed control. While researchers have not established a direct causal relationship between pesticide exposure and the reported cancers, Blumberg has previously advised minimizing pesticide use when practical.
The Ladera Ranch Maintenance Corporation stated it is creating an advisory committee comprising homeowners, board members, staff, and landscaping professionals to review its landscaping practices and recommend improvements. The organization acknowledged residents' concerns but said it is "not aware of any determination by those agencies identifying a specific environmental cause or linking the Association’s landscape management practices to these illnesses."