If we need one illness as a first step to justify letting patients have their doctors or others end their lives, it is definitely glioblastoma. It isn't the nerve cells, it's the glia that were there to coat them with myelin. Neurons hardly ever show cancers begging within them.
One take-away from the article is the general sense that an uncommonly large number of people in late middle age are developing lethal forms of glioblastomas of unknown etiology. In my small corner of observantly Jewish populated Brooklyn (few athletes here), I and my friends have commented on the high rate of glioblastomas diagnosed in the last few years afflicting many of our dear friends, female and male, including physicians, housewives, and scholars in their sixties. The only common traits that we have been able to detect is their sincere dedication to their religion, their ethical behavior, and their kind, loving, and charitable personalities. I do not believe that it is a random, coincidental phenomenon.
1
In 2009, Daulton told a radio interviewer, “There’s probably no one in any sport that has taken more drugs than I have.”
what do the DEA and courts say to that? he may have been penalized if caught, but imprisoned?
"But he did not name the drugs."
but others could.
p.s. i bet that "drugs" kill and injure more people per annum than glioblastoma, possibly even among ex-baseball players.
p.p.s. please do not drink and drive (referring to the extra dry champagne in the photo).
p.p.p.s. some claim that alcohol is carcinogenic and/or neuro-degenerative. (check with them.)
what do the DEA and courts say to that? he may have been penalized if caught, but imprisoned?
"But he did not name the drugs."
but others could.
p.s. i bet that "drugs" kill and injure more people per annum than glioblastoma, possibly even among ex-baseball players.
p.p.s. please do not drink and drive (referring to the extra dry champagne in the photo).
p.p.p.s. some claim that alcohol is carcinogenic and/or neuro-degenerative. (check with them.)
2
I'd put money on chewing tobacco as the culprit. I have known three smokers who died from brain tumors.
4
My brother died of glioblastoma @56 yrs old. He took anabolic steroids for at least a decade or more in his 20's & 30's simply to look "built." I think the effects of anabolic steroids on our muscle aka our "brain" take 15 years or so to manifest as glioblastoma. Add to that risk are the pesticides in the turf. Men always form a wolf pack in which many will take the identical risks. In the case of the Phillies, it would be curious as to how many of them were taking anabolic steroids. DuPont's chemicals saturating the soil/marshland of their stadium did not help matters.
11
talk to the trainer. find out what the guys were using to get bigger.
3
In general, cancers at the age of 80+ (John McCain) and those at 50's are different. Although the article does not mention anything about the families of the former Phillies, it is widely believed that heredity plays some role. Before suspecting environment, we should look into this possibility first.
2
Gary Carter played in Montreal. Olympic Stadium had artificial turf too, if I recall.
3
What about the connection between glioblastoma and melanoma? The players are out in the sun. Baseball caps don't provide much protection.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4111084/
And then there is the connection between climate change and UV rays.
http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v4/n6/full/nclimate2225.html?foxt...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4111084/
And then there is the connection between climate change and UV rays.
http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v4/n6/full/nclimate2225.html?foxt...
The Phillies played at Veterans Stadium, and the Eagles played at Franklin Field, where NFL Films did a segment on the laying down one of the first artificial turf on a football field.
They used a large quantity of liquid adhesive to put down the synthetic grass.
Plastics, synthetic rubbers, adhesives - those all come from polymers which are produced with huge amounts of carcinogens like benzene and toluene. There certainly could be other factors or etiologic agents in the mix. But a percentage of the players probably were done in by a chemical solvent used in making polymers.
They used a large quantity of liquid adhesive to put down the synthetic grass.
Plastics, synthetic rubbers, adhesives - those all come from polymers which are produced with huge amounts of carcinogens like benzene and toluene. There certainly could be other factors or etiologic agents in the mix. But a percentage of the players probably were done in by a chemical solvent used in making polymers.
3
It seems apparent that a study about the correlation of artificial turf and baseball players would have to control for things like tobacco, steroids, and alcohol, not to mention other parts of their lives. It would essentially be too difficult to do.
2
Unlike some here, I give kudos to the writer of this article, for the simple fact that he seems to be naturally curious enough about what he sees as an unusually high incidence of (deadly) brain cancers associated with a specific population- baseball players- in the Eastern Pennsylvania region.
We need more like him to risk asking the hard questions, even if the answer(s) isn't immediately clear or settled.
All one need do is to google glioblastoma and imbedded in the Wikipedia article you will find a link to 'people known with glioblastoma diagnosis'. The list of the well-know and famous who have succumbed to these deadly brain cancers isn't trite. One can't help but wonder if indeed there is something going on in our modern environment that is likely causing these significant rises in numbers of these highly mortal brain cancers, diseases.
I have my own suspicions of the cause(s), outside of genetic predisposition.
Our family grew up in the 60's in a popular and newly built suburban setting smack in the middle of urban central Ohio. By 1980, at least ten of our neighbors had serious medical problems of everything from sterility, early onset alzheimers (then called organic brain syndrome), pancreatic cancer, brain cancer. Three of our school age friends in that neighborhood lost a parent to one of the above by the age of 15. Came to find out forty years later, our homes had been built over a heavily pesticided corn field. Coincidence?
We need more like him to risk asking the hard questions, even if the answer(s) isn't immediately clear or settled.
All one need do is to google glioblastoma and imbedded in the Wikipedia article you will find a link to 'people known with glioblastoma diagnosis'. The list of the well-know and famous who have succumbed to these deadly brain cancers isn't trite. One can't help but wonder if indeed there is something going on in our modern environment that is likely causing these significant rises in numbers of these highly mortal brain cancers, diseases.
I have my own suspicions of the cause(s), outside of genetic predisposition.
Our family grew up in the 60's in a popular and newly built suburban setting smack in the middle of urban central Ohio. By 1980, at least ten of our neighbors had serious medical problems of everything from sterility, early onset alzheimers (then called organic brain syndrome), pancreatic cancer, brain cancer. Three of our school age friends in that neighborhood lost a parent to one of the above by the age of 15. Came to find out forty years later, our homes had been built over a heavily pesticided corn field. Coincidence?
9
The STRESS is enormous on a solo indivual trying to do one of the hardest tasks in sports, hit a baseball in MLB. A lot of people are watching/listening at the stadium and through radio and tv. The same is true of pitching. The STRESS, I believe, is a critical issue in the higher rates of brain cancer in this particular sample of people. The success of some immune therapies in cancer fits this view as STRESS tends to diminish the immune response and enhancing it with theses therapies is a tool against cancer.
If those guys took steroids and are afraid to admit it, they should say so. Other lives could be affected.
1
My son was diagnosed with brain cancer at 28 years of age...Stage 3 Astrocytoma (Glioblastoma) imbedded in the left frontal lobe. He died 5 years later. He was not a professional ball player, but a TV reporter. There were other cases of brain cancer in the TV studio where he worked. I have often wondered if it was the "magnetic field" which apparently is at play in TV studios. And I have also been curious about Michael J. Fox having Parkinson's, another brain disease. Wikipedia..."Fox is one of four members of the Leo and Me cast and crew who eventually developed Parkinson's disease in mid-life, an unusually high number that led to some investigation as to whether an environmental factor may have played a role". All this to say, brain cancer is a scourge. We lost our smart, talented son even before he died. I pray that a cure is soon discovered.
9
Two friends died of this cancer. One worked as an engineer in rubber manufacturing. Lots of sports equipment involved rubber. The other chewed tobacco. Between the two, baseball players seem likely to have experienced both proximity to rubber and use of chewing tobacco. Just sayin'
3
How many players played for the Phillies 1971-2003? 750? 1000? And how many people on the field crews? Concessionaires? Have they been screened?
This sounds a bit conspiratorial. Which is it, pesticides on grass, or artificial turf? My wife died of GBM, and she never chewed tobacco or used steroids (until she took them to control the seizures her tumors caused). Plus, we have at least 2 cases of glio in the US Senate in the past 10 years. Of course researchers won't rule anything out. That's the way science works. Doesn't make it likely.
This sounds a bit conspiratorial. Which is it, pesticides on grass, or artificial turf? My wife died of GBM, and she never chewed tobacco or used steroids (until she took them to control the seizures her tumors caused). Plus, we have at least 2 cases of glio in the US Senate in the past 10 years. Of course researchers won't rule anything out. That's the way science works. Doesn't make it likely.
3
Looking for a common factor, or factors is not conspiratorial. Condolences for your loss.
5
I would imagine steroids and pesticides are a potent cocktail.
5
Then what explains how all those who didn't play at Veterans Stadium got it?
3
I think we all need to take a deep breath here. First of all, the population being discussed – members of one baseball team who played in one stadium – is small, and the number of brain-cancer victims in this group is tiny. As pointed out repeatedly in the article, these numbers are so small that statisticians can’t be sure that this “cancer cluster” is not just a random coincidence. Jumping to conclusions should not be your only form of exercise! Second, the wide variety of toxins that are being proposed as the cause of these cancers is a great demonstration of the difficulty of the epidemiological problem. People in the age range where glioblastoma incidence starts to shoot up – above age 50 – have had decades of exposure to pesticides, tobacco smoke, preservatives, and all the other substances and energy fields that are supposed to be the unique cause of these illnesses. It’s virtually impossible for real scientists to disentangle the causes of late-onset cancers. Why are you so sure you know how to do it? I advise a little more humility…
2
Your condescending lecture notwithstanding, I do not believe people speculating on the root cause in response to an article about a statistically higher incidence of a particular cancer is "jumping to conclusions."
Take your own advice.
Take your own advice.
6
25,000 Volts to shock you on artificial turf, killing soccer players also. Fields are not grounded and generate lots of electrical charge and current.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2016/02/24/paper-examines-link-...
https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2016/02/24/paper-examines-link-...
3
Has anyone looked into a correlation with chewing tobacco, snuff, etc.?
1
There are no coincidences. Remember the line from the Graduate movie. "Plastics" Everything we touch and put into our mouth is wrapped in.......plastic.
3
Has anyone looked into whether or not these players used chewing tobacco? I remember going to games and seeing these guys with wads of the stuff.
1
Artificial turf! Check the story on children with artificial turf too. Then there are the soccer players. The stories need investigation .
3
My father died of a glioblastoma, decades ago, at the age of 55. We were told there was a connection between this disease and exposure to petrochemicals.
8
The author admits that there is no scientific evidence to support the idea that Philly baseball is carcinogenic. Still, that doesn't prevent him and his interviewees from offering their hysterical, non-scientific opinions.
1
There is a possibility that some of the cancers are related to television equipment .
Similar cancers above the average have been seen in people who spend long hours working in TV stations.
People in stadiums, especially those on field level, are very close to the equipment and receive constant radiation exposure for hours.
Some sportscasters have also died young from brain cancers, as well as other TV news personnel.
Similar cancers above the average have been seen in people who spend long hours working in TV stations.
People in stadiums, especially those on field level, are very close to the equipment and receive constant radiation exposure for hours.
Some sportscasters have also died young from brain cancers, as well as other TV news personnel.
2
This article felt like one I would find in the New York Post if I happened to pickup a discarded copy on my train. Glioblastoma is a particularly deadly cancer without any known lifestyle changes you can make to lessen your chances. On the treatment side, radiation and chemo are still the main options available with a life expectancy still being painfully short.
It would have been more helpful to have an article in the Health section that discusses current research and new treatment options that might be in the pipeline.
It would have been more helpful to have an article in the Health section that discusses current research and new treatment options that might be in the pipeline.
2
So many amateur oncologists and epidemiologists here. As the story clearly says, "Possible cancer clusters are notoriously hard to prove. Most of the time, upon rigorous examination, no cause can be identified and the cases are considered random." That is undoubtedly what lies behind this as well.
2
Fertilizer? Pesticides? They didn't always play on astroturf, did they? I wonder if golfers have similar cases. My dad died of Parkinson's and my brother has Small Fiber Neuropathy - both serious golfers. A Homeopathic mentioned it to me once when I told her they were golfers and both with nerve disease.
162 playing dates each year, minimum. Excessive exposure to outdoor lights? Pesticides in the grass? Chew tobacco? Chalk lines? The oil they use on their gloves? Pine tar? Somehow this story merited 900-words, but no hint of any alternative to mere coincidence.
Speculation runs rife.
Radar guns entered the baseball world in the mid 70s about the same time as Tommy John had his famous surgery. The rest is hysteria.
Radar guns entered the baseball world in the mid 70s about the same time as Tommy John had his famous surgery. The rest is hysteria.
2
Interesting, since many of the players named in the article were either pitchers or catchers. However, if the cancers were radar-gun-related, you would expect to also hear about umpires dying from glioblastoma.
1
I just wanted to comment on one point made in the article...
"Among the former Phillies who died, not all played together at Veterans Stadium or remained with the team for the same length of time. The Philadelphia Eagles played and often practiced in the stadium, on the same artificial surface, but the N.F.L. team has reported no unusual occurrence of brain cancer."
Baseball teams play 81 home games per year. Football, only 8 today, and only 6 back in the day. That's obviously a 10X+ difference.
"Among the former Phillies who died, not all played together at Veterans Stadium or remained with the team for the same length of time. The Philadelphia Eagles played and often practiced in the stadium, on the same artificial surface, but the N.F.L. team has reported no unusual occurrence of brain cancer."
Baseball teams play 81 home games per year. Football, only 8 today, and only 6 back in the day. That's obviously a 10X+ difference.
9
but the football players practiced 5 days per week during the season so that's about 40 days. Add to that preseason games and practices and it's probably not that big a difference.
I had the same thought. But one would have to know where the Eagles practiced during the week. Nowadays most every NFL team has practice fields separate from the stadium so the field doesn't get torn up (in the case of natural grass) and/or so the stadium can book concerts and other revenue producing events. On the other hand, football players interact with the turf far more than baseball players. Most catches in the outfield don't involve diving, whereas some football players end up on the ground after almost every play.
It just shows how difficult medical and epidemiological research can be with all the factors involved. I recall an association with mobile phones from decades ago when they were far bulkier, emitted far more electromagnetic radiation, cost five dollars per minute, and were solely the provenance of truly busy dealmakers. The interesting thing was that the brain cancers almost always occurred on the same side that the afflicted person used to cradle the phone by their ear, in close proximity to the ear itself. As cellphones have become ubiquitous, those concerns were summarily buried.
Trump would say "who knew these types of inquiries could be so complicated?" I have a friend who was Darren Daulton's backup catcher the year before they won the World Series and don't know whether to share this article with him.
It just shows how difficult medical and epidemiological research can be with all the factors involved. I recall an association with mobile phones from decades ago when they were far bulkier, emitted far more electromagnetic radiation, cost five dollars per minute, and were solely the provenance of truly busy dealmakers. The interesting thing was that the brain cancers almost always occurred on the same side that the afflicted person used to cradle the phone by their ear, in close proximity to the ear itself. As cellphones have become ubiquitous, those concerns were summarily buried.
Trump would say "who knew these types of inquiries could be so complicated?" I have a friend who was Darren Daulton's backup catcher the year before they won the World Series and don't know whether to share this article with him.
1
If it was the AstroTurf I would expect that playing in hot weather like baseball would have more exposure. Volatile chemicals de-gas in warmer temperatures. Probably less volatilization in cooler weather that you would expect during football season.
4
Maybe the federal govt will consider looking into it, though I doubt it.
They refuse to acknowledge a cancer cluster due to the cost associated with the clean up.
They refuse to acknowledge a cancer cluster due to the cost associated with the clean up.
3
Wasn't there also a cancer cluster among NY Giants players at the stadium in the Meadowlands? Can't recall whether any were glioblastoma, but it does make one wonder about potential similarities between the old Giants Stadium and Veterans Stadium.
I want to be very explicit that I have no knowledge that any of the players in question were steroid users and I am not making that allegation. (Note: I don't blame the players in the late 80's early 90's that did use steroids. They were trying to keep their jobs in an era when baseball decided to look the other way.) But considering many of these were from the steroid era I am surprised that it is not being looked at as a factor along with the other environmental possibilities. (Think the late Lyle Alzado. Yes I know I can't spell.) It could even be that steroids in combination with factors present in the old stadium formed a lethal combination.
4
Those in a position to find out the reason why there is a cancer cluster really don't want to know because they fear lawsuits.
2
As the crow filies, Veteran's Stadium is next door to DuPont. You know, "better living through chemicals" DuPont. Just putting that out here.
17
Closer to the Sunoco refinery. I used to get an oil slick on my windshield driving over the Platt Bridge when it rained.
3
There is some thinking that glioblastomas are somehow caused or triggered by cytomegalovirus (CMV). Wet locker rooms, dugouts, gloves, balls, hats--all are potential vehicles to spread viruses.
3
Article summary:
Experts: "it would be irresponsible to draw any conclusions about an observed phenomenon that could easily be the result of chance."
Non-experts: "Brain Cancer! The Great American Pastime! Steroids! Marshland! It's a coverup!"
Experts: "it would be irresponsible to draw any conclusions about an observed phenomenon that could easily be the result of chance."
Non-experts: "Brain Cancer! The Great American Pastime! Steroids! Marshland! It's a coverup!"
19
Not true! Everyone knows that the synthetic plastic grass pitches are highly carcinogenic. Sliding along on that 'grass' is NOT a good idea. Most schools have been advised to remove these pitches & replace with natural grass.
6
The fact that the Eagles players are not similarly afflicted is intriguing. More players on a team vs few hours on the field and shorter careers? It does make me think that this is like clusters of lottery winners. Most models of randomness predict clusters, making actual clusters hard to prove. The best one can say is that if you see a cluster, you should look for a cause, not assume one exists.
1
Eagles players were on the synthetic field 7 or eight official games plus practices. Phillies player were on the field a minimum of 81 games and numerous practices plus actual playoff and WS games....That is arguably a reason to look at the synthetic field as a possible culprit.
2
No constant exposure to radar guns is my guess.
1
"The best one can say is that if you see a cluster, you should look for a cause, not assume one exists."
Sounds like good advice. In other words, don't be dismissive of the possibility, but don't leap to any conclusions.
Sounds like good advice. In other words, don't be dismissive of the possibility, but don't leap to any conclusions.
Brett, Quisenberry and Howser spent part of their careers in Kansas City, where the baseball park at that time, like Veterans Stadium, had artificial turf. Some former Phillies wonder whether chemicals in those early versions of synthetic turf could have increased the risk of brain cancer, but scientists say they know of no research that supports that theory.
No research!!! There has been a lot of coverage on this and sliding to base is similar to soccers sliding tackles and diving goalies.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2014/10/09/is-there-a-...
http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/daily-take/201410/synthetic-turf-giving-...
http://www.espn.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/14206717/how-safe-fiel...
No research!!! There has been a lot of coverage on this and sliding to base is similar to soccers sliding tackles and diving goalies.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2014/10/09/is-there-a-...
http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/daily-take/201410/synthetic-turf-giving-...
http://www.espn.com/espnw/news-commentary/article/14206717/how-safe-fiel...
1
Very interesting point and the same can be said for Gary Carter who played on astroturf in Montreal for seven years.
Veterans Stadium site was marshland owned by R.M. Hollingshead Corp. which was Camden NJ chemical manufacturer until early 1950's when drive-in movie was built on portion of site that stadium eventually occupied. From early 1960's site was dumping ground for trash, old tires, etc. after drive-in closed (I grew up less than a mile away). Who knows what else was dumped on site or nearby when chemical company owned site. Not saying stadium site was cause of brain cancer but this was a brownfield site.
13
For an in-depth account of the difficulty of proving that cancer cases form a cluster with an identifiable cause, read the Pulitzer Prize-winning Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation by Dan Fagin, focusing on the community around the Toms River, NJ chemical factory and another hot spot that polluted the area for many years.
9
As I mentioned earlier, my cousin was a professional ball player who died of melanoma at a young age. He also golfed a lot.
http://www.torontosun.com/2017/03/01/pesticides-on-golf-course-may-cause...
http://www.torontosun.com/2017/03/01/pesticides-on-golf-course-may-cause...
Baseball players and golfers also spend a great deal of time in the sun...
True but his melanoma was on his calf. I do not believe Brain cancer is linked to UVA exposure.
Radar guns
2
Possible culprits:
Chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco
Pesticides
Chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco
Pesticides
Chewing tobacco
1
This should have been written by a science reporter, not a sportswriter.
13
I lost both my mother and her only sister to glioblastoma. There is no currently known genetic cause for GBM, it only strikes multiple times in a handful of families. While I think this article sensationalizes the link between the disease and the sport, identifying and studying any known cluster of this disease is critically important. Does exposure to something environmental trigger a latent genetic weakness? Does exposure cause the disease directly? Is it only genetic? We don't know the answers to any of these questions, and studying clusters of the disease will hopefully help shed some light in the future for those of us who live with the specter of this disease and the utter devastation of its aftermath.
13
I do not mean to speak ill of the dead, but this is a result of steroid use.
3
Baseball players had extraordinary disposable income and were able to afford the 1st and 2nd generation of mobile phones from the 1980-1990's that most people could not afford. The 1980-1990's is the playing career for most of those mentioned. I would suggest the possibility of a strong link.
7
The link between mobile phones and brain cancer has been disproved many times over.
This is surprising. I knew baseball players are advised to watch out for skin cancer. They get a lot of exposure to sun. Sure the games are often played at night but they are out in the sun working out and practicing a lot.
1
But, fortunately, Pete Rose survived!
1
Is it me or am I witnessing an increase in GBM in our country as a whole?
24
You might want to check out Brain Tumor Rates Are Rising in the US: The Role of Cell Phone & Cordless Phone Use (http://www.saferemr.com/2015/05/brain-tumor-rates-are-rising-in-us-role..... It's from researchers at School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, so seems to be from a reliable source of information. A little scary really, although I didn't read it carefully enough to find out what a doubling, etc., means in absolute numbers, always one of the issues when dealing with risk and benefit.
Glioblastoma is increasing in the US among some age groups and in several other countries that keep pretty good cancer records. It is also the tumor/cancer that is most associated with wireless radiation in the highest quality epidemiological studies, and also in animal studies such as the National Toxicology Program completed by NIH here in the US. The pitcher/catcher higher incidence could possibly have a link with frequencies emitted by radar guns measuring the speed of the ball. I don't know--do pro baseball players also keep radio contact with other team members while playing?
There is one disease that is affecting many baseball players, and that is called glioblastoma. Glioblastoma is "considered the most aggressive and frequently diagnosed form of malignant brain tumor". Over the years, many have died from the disease, and why it is so common is unknown. Indi duals including Larry Andersen, Tug McGraw, John Vukovich, Johnny Oates, Ken Brett, and more, including most recently Darren Daulton, are some individuals affected. Many are interested about why this is happening in the baseball world. They want all of the names of the players and how they got the cancer. It is more common for men to get it in the range of age 45 to 70. 12,390 deaths of glioblastoma occurred this year. Maybe because of drugs, maybe because of family history, who knows. This cancer needs to end.
1
Nice summary
As long as we're speculating, I would worry about radar. A picture from this link shows many people directing radar guns over the plate towards the pitcher. http://hs.utpreps.com/news_article/show/240990
3
"Major League Baseball and the players’ union should enlist epidemiologists and statisticians to examine whether the malignancies were workplace related. He also said that they should create an extensive registry of players and their causes of death."
The book "A Civil Action" by Jonathan Harr immediately comes to mind. Back in the '80s, a contaminated water supply was discovered in Woburn, MA in which 5 children died from or complications from leukemia. There are striking similarities between that case (which these incidents of leukemia were high and relatively rare for Woburn) and this scenario. All of the ball players were of similar age, played at the same location during the same time period, and had the same disease. I understand the reluctance of categorizing these deaths as a cancer cluster, but come on all ready. Usually an immediate denial points to liability issues and law suits. Commenters have suggested looking at the chemicals used to preserve and maintain a pristine playing field. There is also the fact that the stadium was built on a marshland.
Before more ball players & possibly groundskeepers become ill and/or parish due to similar illnesses, MLB officials & owners owe it to their players, workers and fans to thoroughly investigate and hire the top "epidemiologists and statisticians to examine whether the malignancies were workplace related". Doing nothing is not a solution. Regardless of the cost, isn't saving even one life worth it?
5
Maybe someone should check out the groundskeepers, custodians, and vendors to see if they also seem to have more brain cancer. They are certainly in the park a lot. If it's the stadium, I would think that would be a significant piece of evidence for or against.
10
The number of Vietnam veterans who have died from Glioblastoma Multiforme is at an extremely high number. At this point, our US government refuses to acknowledge the disease has been caused by exposure to Agent Orange. GBM is deadly and causes horrific pain and suffering. Please look at the pesticides that have been sprayed on the fields and perhaps this journalist or another at the NYT can delve further into the reason why so many veterans are dying from this disease.
5
Of course, many get brain cancer and we don't hear about it, but it is still a rare disease. In this case, it would seem the number is above the norm for men working in one area. The San Francisco 40ers had a spate of ALS victims many years ago. When several players from one team have a very rare disease it is most likely not a coincidence. What was happening on their home field that was different from other fields? The owners don't want to be held responsible but that doesn't mean they can't look into it. It is in their best interest to have a healthy environment. The LPGA had a very high incidence of breast cancer and now the golf courses use different pesticides.
3
"When several players from one team have a very rare disease it is most likely not a coincidence."
That's exactly backwards. When several players from one team have a very rare disease it is most likely a coincidence.
That's exactly backwards. When several players from one team have a very rare disease it is most likely a coincidence.
1
The link between the cluster of Phillies players diagnosed with Glioblastoma and the close proximity of the oil refinery in South Philadelphia needs to be better assessed.
Formerly run by Sunoco, and now by Philadelphia Energy Solutions, this refinery is a stone's throw away from the sports stadiums and has grown into the largest on the East Coast. It is responsible for over 70% of toxic emissions in the city, and has been cited by the EPA for numerous flagrant violations. Peer-reviewed literature abundantly establishes the link between petrochemical industries and cancers, including glioblastoma.
An epidemiological study should be done looking at glioblastoma rates in South Philadelphia, and plotted on a map. I would guess a direct relationship between distance from the PES refinery and cancer incidence. Just looking at the sports teams would not provide sufficient power to prove anyone's theories, but the latest tragic death of fan-favorite Daulton could serve as yet another canary in the coal mine.
As a resident of Philadelphia, Phillies fan, and concerned citizen, I support efforts to contain the growth of this industry, and think closure of the several refineries and petrochemical industries choking the city would be in everyone's best interest.
Formerly run by Sunoco, and now by Philadelphia Energy Solutions, this refinery is a stone's throw away from the sports stadiums and has grown into the largest on the East Coast. It is responsible for over 70% of toxic emissions in the city, and has been cited by the EPA for numerous flagrant violations. Peer-reviewed literature abundantly establishes the link between petrochemical industries and cancers, including glioblastoma.
An epidemiological study should be done looking at glioblastoma rates in South Philadelphia, and plotted on a map. I would guess a direct relationship between distance from the PES refinery and cancer incidence. Just looking at the sports teams would not provide sufficient power to prove anyone's theories, but the latest tragic death of fan-favorite Daulton could serve as yet another canary in the coal mine.
As a resident of Philadelphia, Phillies fan, and concerned citizen, I support efforts to contain the growth of this industry, and think closure of the several refineries and petrochemical industries choking the city would be in everyone's best interest.
1
The area where Veterans Stadium was built may have been marshland at one time, but for the longest time that area was the old city dump before they built "The Vet." That area, probably dating from the inception of the city, had been marshland due to a network of old creeks. In fact one of the municipal parks in the area, FDR Park, is known by the locals as "The Lakes," as a result of the old creeks that ran through its land. Also, when I was between my freshman and sophomore years (1964) at Villanova University, I worked in that area for a construction company. We were building an cold storage warehouse about 2-3 blocks east of where the stadium was built. I can remember as the ground was being dug up by construction machinery, occasionally thing like bottles and and portions of dishes were unearthed. In fact, once I found an old brass ashtray. So, yes, though it was marshland at one time, it was really the city dump for far longer. That might account for the possibility of toxins in the soil that could've caused the cancers that killed some of our former players. Lord only knows what was permitted to be dumped in that area, which was long before there was anything like today's EPA rules and regulations.
8
A University of Iowa study found that working as a golf superintendent significantly increased one’s risk of getting non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, brain cancer, lung cancer, large intestine cancer, and prostrate cancer. Other experts are starting to find that golfers, and non-golfers who live near golf courses, are experiencing similar health problems. A 1996 research project studied brain cancer rates among 600 people. The research demonstrated a twofold increase risk for developing brain cancer for people who lived within 2600 feet of an agricultural area. (American Journal of Public Health, 86(9): 1289-96, 1996.) In 1983 the National Cancer Institute studied 3,827 Florida pesticide applicators who had been spraying for more than 20 years. They found that these pesticide applicators had nearly 3 times the risk of developing lung cancer and 2 times the risk of developing brain cancer.
3
The connection is obvious.
The gene set that predisposes toward baseball success is positively correlated with the glioblastoma gene set. Nothing random about it. Both gene sets will be modified by epigenetic factors.
Foolish to look at chewing tobacco or concussions, which are all downstream.
Focus on the underlying causes, which are the genes and their lifestyle modifiers. These genes will most likely be associated with sub-optimal detox and methylation pathways, which also may be somehow associated with baseball success.
We do not live in a random world, it just often appears that way.
The gene set that predisposes toward baseball success is positively correlated with the glioblastoma gene set. Nothing random about it. Both gene sets will be modified by epigenetic factors.
Foolish to look at chewing tobacco or concussions, which are all downstream.
Focus on the underlying causes, which are the genes and their lifestyle modifiers. These genes will most likely be associated with sub-optimal detox and methylation pathways, which also may be somehow associated with baseball success.
We do not live in a random world, it just often appears that way.
1
I would suggest a comparison with the fans. They live and work in the same area.
1
As a neurologist, I think the quote below is the mot important point in the whole piece. Correlation does not prove causation, but a thorough database and careful study might reveal a common link or a cause here, or suggest that it is coincidental.
"Dr. Cory M. Franklin, a Chicago internist who has written about the cancer cases in baseball, said Major League Baseball and the players’ union should enlist epidemiologists and statisticians to examine whether the malignancies were workplace related. He also said that they should create an extensive registry of players and their causes of death."
"Dr. Cory M. Franklin, a Chicago internist who has written about the cancer cases in baseball, said Major League Baseball and the players’ union should enlist epidemiologists and statisticians to examine whether the malignancies were workplace related. He also said that they should create an extensive registry of players and their causes of death."
1
You will not be able to find scientific studies showing links between cancer and chemicals/pesticides, because the powerful chemical company lobbies suppress findings and harass scientists. New chemicals are commercialized daily with NO safety testing. In the US, you must prove a chemical is harmful before even getting the right to request it be taken off the market. Good luck, everybody.
3
I'd be curious to know if other employees at Veterans Stadium other than players had a higher rate of glioblastoma than the rest of the population.
3
Ref brain cancer and baseball players.
Radiation doubles at every increase in altitude of 6000 ft resulting in radiation at normal jet levels being about 40 times that of sea level. I believe that it is now an accepted fact that airline pilots are at increased risk. Basis my receipt of Emails from NASA regarding space weather for over the last 20 plus years, I conclude that frequent fliers like baseball players are also at increased risk.
Radiation doubles at every increase in altitude of 6000 ft resulting in radiation at normal jet levels being about 40 times that of sea level. I believe that it is now an accepted fact that airline pilots are at increased risk. Basis my receipt of Emails from NASA regarding space weather for over the last 20 plus years, I conclude that frequent fliers like baseball players are also at increased risk.
1
The Eagles called the Vet home from 1971 - 2003.
Has anyone suggested a link between football players and brain tumors?
Wouldn't the coaches and ground crews from each team be subject to the same?
And if its pesticides on the grass that is suspect, wouldn't the outfielders be at higher risk of exposure than say a catcher?
Cause and effect are easy to speculate, demonizing is even easier. I'll await the scientific results.
Has anyone suggested a link between football players and brain tumors?
Wouldn't the coaches and ground crews from each team be subject to the same?
And if its pesticides on the grass that is suspect, wouldn't the outfielders be at higher risk of exposure than say a catcher?
Cause and effect are easy to speculate, demonizing is even easier. I'll await the scientific results.
1
It's possible in SOME cases to learn about the causes of a particular cancer by sequencing its DNA. There are so-called "signatures" in cancer DNA that can sometimes shed light on what caused the cancer. I believe there are abbot 30-40 different signatures and their frequency differs among cancer types etc. The leaders in this field are in England.
This type of analysis has not been available until quite recently. In fact, it is still in the experimental phase. Has it been done on these tumors? If not it definitely should be.
I hope there will be a follow up on this disturbing and tragic observation.
This type of analysis has not been available until quite recently. In fact, it is still in the experimental phase. Has it been done on these tumors? If not it definitely should be.
I hope there will be a follow up on this disturbing and tragic observation.
2
I used to teach a graduate course in epidemiology. One favorite exercise during lecture was to face my students while using a marker to make hundreds of random dots on a white board behind me that I could not see. Students agreed the dots were random. I told them to think of the dots as cases of brain cancer. Then I would use an overhead projector to project an image of the interstate highways around Atlanta and the location of high tension power lines. In every case, there was at least one cluster of dots associated with a power line. I also used salt and pepper in a clear glass container and shook it up and again there were clusters of black pepper grains as well as some that were well dispersed.
Truly random events do form clusters but this does not necessarily mean power lines cause brain cancer or a particular ball park is the cause of glioblastoma. It may be, or, it just may be chance.
Truly random events do form clusters but this does not necessarily mean power lines cause brain cancer or a particular ball park is the cause of glioblastoma. It may be, or, it just may be chance.
24
Professor, your students were fortunate to have such a gifted teacher. Thank you for these examples!
Unfortunately Philadelphia, which is a city that I love, has a very bad record as a chemically toxic town. My first wife died from a brain tumor in 1993 having grown in a Philadelphia neighborhood surrounded by plants of Rohm & Haas and Allied Chemicals. Quite a few of her childhood girlfriends and boyfriends from the same neighborhood also died around the same period from various cancers -- including brain cancers. When she died, I was told by a friend with epidemiology background that her neighborhood had one of the nation's highest brain cancer statistics. I do not claim expertise in this area but would not be surprised if solid epidemiological research showed a link between what happened among those unfortunate Phillies players and their environment.
18
There is lots of medical literature out there that males, between the ages of 50-59, have more glioblastoma. Guess what, prednisone, which is taken daily for arthritis, has been linked to a higher rate of glioblastoma. Who, more than baseball players, because of the nature of the job, of moving, bending, and running, would be more likely to have arthritis after a long career. Then, we need to know how many of those who got it took steroids, and what other drugs, prescribed or otherwise they might of taken. I come from a long line of doctors in my family, and according to them observation, and self knowledge is key to one's own health outcome.
60
Lots of people besides baseball players have taken prednisone. If the correlation extends beyond the baseball diamond it should be easy to establish; and of course it is known that prednisone does depress the immune system.
4
I was shocked when I read that there is a link between the use of prednisone and a higher rate of glioblastoma. My husband and I used to give our dog prednisone for her horrible arthritis. She died from brain cancer. All of the side effects we were warned again, brain cancer was never mentioned. I realize that she was a dog and we are talking about humans, however, the link between this drug and brain cancer is frightening. Thank you Ms. Klassen for your insightful post. Much appreciated.
2
Do you have reputable links you care to share that show prednisone is a suspected cause of gliobastoma? I have seen anything showing such a link.
We all want to believe our health is in our own hands, but, unfortunately, bad genes, perhaps mixed with some environmental/personal choices, is all it takes for a deadly cancer to form.
We all want to believe our health is in our own hands, but, unfortunately, bad genes, perhaps mixed with some environmental/personal choices, is all it takes for a deadly cancer to form.
The incidence of these cancers is likely coincidental. Baseball players are celebrities, and brain cancer is a dramatic illness. And so when they come down with the illness, it catches the ordinary's fan's attention. Senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain were diagnosed with gliobastomas. What caused their illnesses? The navy bean soup served in the capitol cafeteria?
There is evidence that the incidence of cancer in general increases geometrically by the late 50s and early 60s. It may have to do with the accumulation of cell divisions, which go on throughout life, and its possible malfunction.
We should stop worrying about it, and as Jonathan Swift said, live all the days of our lives.
There is evidence that the incidence of cancer in general increases geometrically by the late 50s and early 60s. It may have to do with the accumulation of cell divisions, which go on throughout life, and its possible malfunction.
We should stop worrying about it, and as Jonathan Swift said, live all the days of our lives.
33
"like sands through an hourglass!:
Stop worrying, perhaps, (unless you're a pro baseball player)---but stop investigating it, no. That would be a very unscientific attitude, one that would hardly ever move the field of medicine forward.
1
What was used to fill in the marshland the stadium was built on? Any possibility of toxic landfill material? Love Canal was certainly not an isolated event. The search should go beyond artificial turf and recently applied chemicals.
3
As the article notes, the Eagles played there too, and due to the nature of the game spent far more time in contact with the dirt than the Phils, and the football players do not have the same problem.
That's an excellent point Carolyn.I lived in Philly back then, and I can tell you that between the time of the marshland, to the Vet being built, that site was in fact a landfill.We referred to it as the "dump".Keeping in mind there was no E.P.A. back then and that Philadelphia was a major crude oil refining center for the east coast.Most of the refineries within a 10 mi.radius of the stadium, just saying.
1
Something like this seems likely. My brother died of glioblastona and used to chew pen tops as a kid and wirked in the carpet and floiring business. And there were platics factories near his home along with a cluster of other glioblastoma cases near his home.
One needs to develop logical hypotheses, then relate these to the available evidence:
Chewing Tobacco: This probably presents elevated risk for cancer (all kinds; esophogeal espectially). How many of these players chewed tobacco? If a small percentage, focus elsewhere. If a large percentage, focus on carcinogens in tobacco juice. (Nicotine is a major carcinogen.) Also, probably the same percentage or thereabouts of Phillies compared to players on other teams chewed tobacco. What are the relative cancer data?
Artificial Turf: One doesn't eat or drink or breathe or wear artificial turf. Still...
But it's easy to compare death causes of players who played before artificial turf, and those who more recently played predominantly on grass, and those who played predominantly on artificial turf. Again, this should allow us to either throw out the hypothesis, or pursue it further (no doubt there are carcinogens in the fiber, but really, how are they going to be inhaled or otherwise absorbed by the players. Also, outfielders who stand around on the "turf" are more likely to be affected than pitchers, catchers and infielders, who mostly stand around on dirt.
Uniforms: Are the Phillies' uniforms (which they wear day in and day out) different from other uniforms (filled with fire retardents, let's say). Highly unlikely. Explore and discard this hypothesis.
Phillies Stadium: Not to difficult to dig up dirt from the site and analyzed it. Was it a toxic waste site? Unlikely.
Chewing Tobacco: This probably presents elevated risk for cancer (all kinds; esophogeal espectially). How many of these players chewed tobacco? If a small percentage, focus elsewhere. If a large percentage, focus on carcinogens in tobacco juice. (Nicotine is a major carcinogen.) Also, probably the same percentage or thereabouts of Phillies compared to players on other teams chewed tobacco. What are the relative cancer data?
Artificial Turf: One doesn't eat or drink or breathe or wear artificial turf. Still...
But it's easy to compare death causes of players who played before artificial turf, and those who more recently played predominantly on grass, and those who played predominantly on artificial turf. Again, this should allow us to either throw out the hypothesis, or pursue it further (no doubt there are carcinogens in the fiber, but really, how are they going to be inhaled or otherwise absorbed by the players. Also, outfielders who stand around on the "turf" are more likely to be affected than pitchers, catchers and infielders, who mostly stand around on dirt.
Uniforms: Are the Phillies' uniforms (which they wear day in and day out) different from other uniforms (filled with fire retardents, let's say). Highly unlikely. Explore and discard this hypothesis.
Phillies Stadium: Not to difficult to dig up dirt from the site and analyzed it. Was it a toxic waste site? Unlikely.
11
If it related to the stadium, check the other workers in the stadium.
Actually you do breathe artificial turf. They emit vapors under certain conditions.
1
I can't find anything that says "nicotine is a major carcinogen". It's addictive, and has few side effects, but it isn't carcinogenic. I'm a non-smoker and don't use nicotine in any way myself.
You might also have mentioned Mike Weiner, the Executive Director of the Major League Baseball Players Association, who died in his early 50s of a glioblastoma in 2013.
hello? Steroids?
3
Sad coincidence, but can it be natural *and* artificial turf -- the former for the chemicals used for upkeep, the latter for the rubber particles that have recently been linked to health concerns?
I admit it's all anecdotal, but it does seem that the cause of death of many pro baseball players is brain cancer. It is worth exploring, just like CTE in football.
I admit it's all anecdotal, but it does seem that the cause of death of many pro baseball players is brain cancer. It is worth exploring, just like CTE in football.
1
Sun exposure.
1
Of the Phillies fatalities, only Daulton and McGraw spent extensive time playing for the team. As for virtually all environmental toxins the longer the someone is in contact with them, the more likely he will experience toxic effects, there is the very big question of why the many players who had far longer careers with the team haven't suffered the same or similar diseases much less at a greater rate.
I should note that this is an issue that The Times repeatedly failed to ask in its coverage of Gulf War Syndrome. During its many articles on the theories that it was caused by exposures to toxins, it never asked why, if this was so, the indigenous population in the middle east didn't suffer from the syndrome.
I should note that this is an issue that The Times repeatedly failed to ask in its coverage of Gulf War Syndrome. During its many articles on the theories that it was caused by exposures to toxins, it never asked why, if this was so, the indigenous population in the middle east didn't suffer from the syndrome.
My grandfather chewed tobacco for years and also died of a glioblastoma.
14
Sunflower seeds.
I often wonder what they spray on sunflower seeds and how much of it is still on them when they're eaten. When you chew on sunflower sends you're really sucking on the shells for quite a while. If there's some pesticide residue you're likely consuming quite a lot of it over decades of sunflower consumption.
I often wonder what they spray on sunflower seeds and how much of it is still on them when they're eaten. When you chew on sunflower sends you're really sucking on the shells for quite a while. If there's some pesticide residue you're likely consuming quite a lot of it over decades of sunflower consumption.
7
Last year we lost a friend who was a former college baseball captain at the age of 39 to glioblastoma, leaving behind a widow and two children. Other than brain cancer, he was the epitome of health and clean living. Possibly this analysis of baseball players and glioblastoma should extend beyond the pros.
4
#Roundup
4
I don't think artificial turf uses pesticide
1
TLDR
There is no reason to believe that this was more than random chance. Scientists can't find anything. Anything else at this point is an unsupported hypothesis.
There might be a story here later, but right now, there isn't.
There is no story, great waste of time.
There is no reason to believe that this was more than random chance. Scientists can't find anything. Anything else at this point is an unsupported hypothesis.
There might be a story here later, but right now, there isn't.
There is no story, great waste of time.
5
I have heard similar stories about soccer players who play on artificial turf, more specifically goalies. Certainly this is worth some form of scientific inquiry.
12
This idea is connected to the use of ground up rubber tires.
of course this is the same kind of cancer that John McCain has, and that killed Ted Kennedy and Lee Atwater, so maybe there's a connection to politics?
19
I guess they all got high?
How about "uppers", "greenies", amphetamines. In use at least since WW II. Fighter pilots, soilders, ballplayers with their schedule. Not so tested or controlled. Mcain should tell if he used to keep going. I wonder how the President does it. General Rule: there is a cost.
1
This is an extremely irresponsible article. The quick takeaway is that baseball causes cancer, even though there are only a few anecdotal cases that support that conclusion. I thought science is golden in the Times (see global warming).
24
I agree. It starts off noting that cancer clusters have been reported many times before, and careful investigation shows that it is nothing more than the usual statistical lumps generated by small numbers. However, the article then goes further hyping the very irrational worries that the introduction was meant to dismiss. Clearly clusters that involve slightly larger numbers should and are investigated to see if there is some local cause. However, amateur fearmongering is not that valuable.
This article's takeaway is not that baseball causes brain cancer, it is that a number of public deaths among former players have raised the question. There are numerous people quoted in the article saying that one would need more data before any conclusions can be drawn. The reporter notes that all of the known cancers may not have been the same type, and provides information regarding how these deaths fit into the larger pattern within the population. Sounds like responsible reporting to me.
1
The article I read in no way drew the conclusion that baseball causes cancer..It was well written and merely provides the reader with events and questions to ponder as to weather there may be causation...If you are reading this as a "quick takeaway" so be it.
The men I personally knew who died of glioblastoma in their 50s had this in common: they smoked a lot of marijuana.
5
ie: Bob Marley.
Any concern about chewing tobacco?
23
And how about the use of PEDS. Yeah, I know, no players ever used them except many did and all the players mentioned played before there was mandatory testing.
Many drugs can be toxic to the brain and unless we know what the players might have been using, it's worthless to conjecture on other causes.
Many drugs can be toxic to the brain and unless we know what the players might have been using, it's worthless to conjecture on other causes.
It was mentioned as something to look into.
exposure to Double Bubble bubble gum?
Soil borings at the old baseball park, are needed to determine what chemicals leached from the ground.
8
I would suggest an investigation of groundskeepers at these stadiums and see if they too have become victims of brain cancer.
83
if there are environmental factors involved which may trigger cancers, such as artificial turf, excessive use of fertilizers to get that nice green outfield, etc., maybe mold in the locker rooms, checking in with all the stadium staff is a good idea.
1
Inflammation is at the heart of many cancers, chronic inflammation. It causes dementia and can cause cancer. Question is what might have caused the inflammation? a good source is trauma. Do these players have a history of getting hit with baseballs? Do catchers have more then others (they get hit a lot). What activities might cause an inflammation to develop? Trauma, pesticides, etc. are likely contributors.
9
I have the same questions regarding chronic inflammation possibly caused by trauma to one's head. My husband died from Glioblastoma at age 53. He did not smoke. He practiced yoga and ate clean food. I've learned that earlier in his life he was hit by a car. He could have sustained trauma to his head even though it did not affect his normal functioning.
wonder if it is related to melanoma, exposure to UV
2
They are outdoors. What is the EMF/RF frequencies in and around the ballfields, on the planes they fly, the locker room? What is the toxic load of the chemicals used on the turf? Do they use glyphosate? What are locations of 5G installations in cities where they play? Is geoengineering or chem sky/rain part of this? We ALL need to wake up and realize just because we can't see it doesn't mean it isn't harming us at a cellular level.
5
LL, 5G cellular has not yet deployed.
Besides, the hand-set wattage involved would NOT change.
Facts are your friend.
Besides, the hand-set wattage involved would NOT change.
Facts are your friend.
1
Possible there's any link to baseball players' exceptional eyesight discussed in Money Ball?
1
I'm sure the toxicity cited below is compounded by excessive use of cellphones, particularly when on the road. Compare data to other professions who also engage in excessive cellphone use such as film producers and real estate brokers. Ask Dr. Keith Black or any other esteemed brain surgeon what they think. They won't put a cellphone anywhere near their body, never mind next to their brain.
3
these players had no cellphones in their day. The cell phone did not exist. They may have used it later in life but I suspect no more or less than anyone else.
5
Cell phones -- always use the speaker-phone function.
Or Bluetooth -- ultra-low power.
Or Bluetooth -- ultra-low power.
1
Could the cancer be caused by the pesticides used on the baseball fields at the spring trading in Clearwater, Fl.
29
This is a non-story. There is no evidence for the questionable assertions of causal links, and as the widow of a recent glioblastoma victim, I am saddened by this sensationalized "reporting".
22
First of all, my sincere condolences. But why would that sadden you? There have been quite a few cancer clusters with causal connections. Why would you not want to know information that may save other humans?
1
You don't know that this is a non-story. The reporting says there MAY be a link, not more. Following your dreadful experience you don't think it's worth discussing?
1
Meanwhile many of the current players continue to use smokeless tobacco which we know causes cancer of the brand and neck, throat , and other body parts.
10
...head and neck...
2
I do not wonder. The proliferation of chemicals many of which are highly complex and for which the public knows very little, compete to make a mish-mash of the brain and neurological system. Ball players not only inhale them out of the synthetic turf, but frequently breathe deeply during periods of exertions during both games and practice. Sad and frightening.
33
It's not the stadium itself; it's the billions of gallons of pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers that keep a professional field looking verdant and fresh no matter how often it's played on.
Investigate the glioblastoma rates of the groundskeepers; I'll bet you find the answers there.
Investigate the glioblastoma rates of the groundskeepers; I'll bet you find the answers there.
110
Not saying pesticides, etc are a a good thing on a playing surface, but the Vet was always artificial turf, never natural grass.
20
What about their spring training?
My cousin was a professional ball player who died of melanoma at a young age. He also golfed a lot. I always wondered about the pesticides in the lawns.