CANCER AND A FATIGUING ILLNESS IN NORTHERN NEVADA - A CAUSAL HYPOTHESIS

PURPOSE: We investigated the possibility that chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) predisposes to cancer by comparing the cancer pattern in an are a in northern Nevada, where an outbreak of a fatiguing illness, which included cases of CFS, was reported, to an area in southern Nevada, wh ere no such illness was reported. METHODS: Data from the computerized Nevada Cancer Registry were utilized to compare incidence rates of fou r malignancies-brain cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), lung cancer, and breast cancer-in Washoe and Lyon Counties, where an unexplained fa tiguing illness was reported during 1984-86, with comparably sized Cla rk County, where no such illness was reported. RESULTS: Higher inciden ces of NHL and primary brain tumors were noted in the two northern Nev ada counties (Washoe and Lyon) in 1986 and 1987 respectively, compared to the southern Nevada (Clark) county. Similar patterns were not seen for breast or lung cancer. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a model f or investigating the possible predisposition of CFS patients to develo p cancer using other cohorts, but it is currently premature to accept such a link at this time. Published by Elsevier Science Inc.