At a Glance

Cancer-causing chemicals have been found in groundwater at Florida's Patrick Air Force Base, according to a U.S. Department of Defense report.The base is in Brevard County, where an unusually high number of cancer cases among young people has been reported.

Residents and officials of an east-central Florida county are raising the alarm over a potential link between increased cases of cancer in young people and chemicals detectedin the groundwater of a nearby Air Force base.

Chemicals, including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and/or perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), which are used to extinguish aircraft fires and known to cause cancer, were detected in groundwater at Florida's Patrick Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, according to a U.S. Department of Defense released in March.

The report noted thatall 28 groundwater monitoring stations on Patrick Air Force Base tested positive for the chemicals.

The report also noted that no testing was conducted off the base located between Satellite and Cocoa beaches in Brevard County, where a cluster of cancer cases among people in their20s and 30s has been reported.

Julie Greenwalt,a cancer survivorand radiation oncologist in Jacksonville, has been outspoken about the possible link between the unusually high number ofcancer cases among her peers and the chemicals. She is one of 20 or so Satellite High School alumni who graduated around the same time andhave been , Florida Today reported.

Greenwalt told the newspaper that when she attended the high school, students often that used groundwater to water the school's playing fields.

"We would drink the sprinkler water," Greenwalt said.

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The Brevard Times reported that after the March report, theFlorida Department of Health into this cancer cluster and any connection between cases ofHodgkin’s lymphoma that were reported in a subdivision in the.

Earlier this week, officials with the Brevard County Public Schools said they would be at area schools for traces of the chemicals.

“As the mother of two beachside students, and a person who grew up inSatellite Beachand was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2010, I have many of the same questions and concerns as our community,” said school board member Tina Descovich. “I pray our drinking water is not affected in any way. These tests are important for our peace of mind and I look forward to receiving the results.”

The announcement comes on the heels of the city'sannouncementthat it plans testthe groundwater. Nearby Cocoa Beach, which treats sewage from Patrick Air Force Base, announced the same.

In addition to cancer, the are known to cause birth defects, liver damage, thyroid damage, increased uric acid levels, increased cholesteroland damage to the immune system, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.