Rare cancer cluster in Southern California prompts investigation

Families in an affluent Southern California community are being urged to come forward as attorneys launch an investigation into an alarming number of rare childhood cancer cases.

Bond Legal said it is confidentially gathering information from those whose children lived in or regularly visited Ladera Ranch in Orange County and were diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma or other childhood cancers.

The probe comes after at least six children connected to the master-planned community have been diagnosed since 2013, according to affected families.

The rare bone and soft tissue cancer affects only about 200 to 240 children and teens nationwide each year, according to the American Cancer Society.

“The concentration of cases in a single community is deeply troubling, especially to those who live there,” said Candice Bond, managing partner of Bond Legal.

The Post has reached out to the firm for further comment and to inquire whether it has contacted affected families or begun any internal investigation.

The Post has also reached out to the Orange County Health Care Agency for comment. According to residents, the agency has said it is looking into the matter.

The law firm said it is seeking information from parents whose children lived in or frequently visited Ladera Ranch, attended local schools, churches, parks, camps or sports facilities, and were diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, osteosarcoma, leukemia, lymphoma or another rare childhood cancer, according to the Legal Advocate.

It is also asking families to share information about possible exposure to pesticides, herbicides, contaminated soil or water, construction materials or other environmental hazards.

“Families deserve transparency about what their children may have been exposed to,” Bond said. “When rare cancers appear in clusters, every environmental factor — no matter how routine it may seem — must be examined carefully.”

Bond Legal stressed that multiple cancer diagnoses alone do not establish that a particular exposure caused the illnesses and said any legal claims would require reliable scientific, medical and factual evidence.

The firm said its investigation could examine historical pesticide and herbicide applications, landscaping and pest-control practices, soil and groundwater conditions, former agricultural land uses, imported fill materials, schools and parks, nearby commercial operations and public records.

The California Department of Public Health said its California Cancer Registry evaluates possible cancer clusters by comparing the number of cases diagnosed in a specific community over a defined period with the number that would normally be expected in a similarly sized population based on statewide cancer rates, age groups and time periods.

“An apparent increase in a small area does not, by itself, establish that a cluster exists or that a common cause is present,” the department said.

The renewed attention follows months of advocacy by local parents who have questioned whether extensive pesticide and herbicide use throughout the 4,000-acre community could be contributing to the illnesses.

Residents have spent months researching public records, documenting landscaping practices and pressing officials for greater transparency about the chemicals being used throughout the neighborhood.

Attorney and Ladera Ranch resident Jackie French previously told The California Post that records appeared to show numerous pesticide and herbicide applications throughout the community, prompting residents to call for a transition toward organic landscaping methods.

Researchers have previously explored possible links between pesticide exposure and certain childhood cancers, including Ewing sarcoma, but no direct causal relationship has been established.

Public health authorities have not identified a specific environmental cause, and officials have not linked Ladera Ranch’s landscaping practices to the reported illnesses.

One family’s tragedy has become the face of the community’s campaign for answers.

Brody Matteson was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in August 2024 at age 17. After undergoing treatment, he later developed acute myeloid leukemia as a complication of that treatment and died on March 22.

Following his death, his mother, Megan Matteson, posted in a community Facebook group asking whether other local families had experienced cancer diagnoses, helping reignite concerns among residents who believed the cases warranted further investigation.

The issue has also drawn the attention of state lawmakers.

Assemblywoman Kate Sanchez said she is working with state and local agencies after learning of the reports.

“Like many of you, I have read the recent reports regarding cancer cases in Ladera Ranch and the concerns being raised by families about pesticide use in our community,” Sanchez said in a statement.

“As a mom and as your Assemblywoman, these reports are deeply concerning. My heart is with every family that has been affected.”

Sanchez said her office is “actively gathering information, engaging with the appropriate state and local agencies, and reviewing what is known.”

“If there are unanswered questions, they must be addressed through a transparent, science-based process,” she said.

The Republican lawmaker pledged to continue advocating for “a thorough review of the available information, open communication with the community, and full transparency from every entity involved.”

“If changes in law or oversight are needed to better protect our neighborhoods, I will not hesitate to pursue them,” Sanchez added. “The health and safety of our children must always come first.”

Environmental health experts have also said the concerns deserve careful review, even though no direct link has yet been established.

Bruce Blumberg, an environmental health expert at the University of California, Irvine, previously told The California Post that communities should minimize pesticide use whenever possible.

“If I were a parent living in that area, I would be strongly advocating for elimination of pesticide use,” Blumberg said. “In my opinion, it is unreasonable to risk people’s health for the cosmetic elimination of weeds and unwanted vegetation.”

Blumberg noted that many California cities have already adopted organics-first landscape management programs and argued that safer alternatives should be used whenever practical.

Meanwhile, the management company overseeing the unincorporated area of Ladera Ranch said it is establishing an ad hoc advisory committee to review its landscape maintenance practices and identify opportunities for improvement.

“As part of our commitment to transparency and community engagement, the Board has directed staff to establish an ad hoc advisory committee comprised of homeowners, Board members, staff, and landscape professionals. The committee will review our landscape maintenance practices, evaluate opportunities for continued improvement, and provide recommendations for the Board’s consideration.” Ladera Ranch Maintenance Corporation (LARMAC) told the Post.

“We understand why residents are seeking answers, and we recognize the concern that recent media coverage has generated throughout our community,” they added, noting “we are not aware of any determination by those agencies identifying a specific environmental cause or linking the Association’s landscape management practices to these illnesses.”

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