# Cal State Fullerton Scientists Test Ladera Ranch Park Soil and Water for Contaminants Amid Ewing Sarcoma Cluster Concerns > Cal State Fullerton researchers completed initial soil and water sampling at three Ladera Ranch parks in mid-September 2026, prompted by community concern over a cluster of Ewing sarcoma diagnoses; no results have been released and the study remains in its first phase. - Canonical: https://ocint.app/situation/ladera-ranch-ewing-sarcoma-cluster-soil-testing-2026-09 - Markdown: https://ocint.app/situation/ladera-ranch-ewing-sarcoma-cluster-soil-testing-2026-09.md - JSON: https://ocint.app/api/situations/ladera-ranch-ewing-sarcoma-cluster-soil-testing-2026-09 - Status: developing - As of: 2026-09-28T23:05:32.045+00:00 - Started: 2026-09-13T16:00:00+00:00 - Cities: Ladera Ranch, Mission Viejo - Publisher: OCINT (https://ocint.app) ## Who / What / Where / When / Why **Who:** CSUF professors Daniel Curtis, Paula Hudson, and Stevan Pecic, with approximately a dozen undergraduates; the broader Ladera Ranch community of roughly 26,000 residents. **What:** A voluntary, multiyear environmental study by Cal State Fullerton chemistry faculty and undergraduates, sampling soil and water at three Ladera Ranch parks for lead, arsenic, chromium, and pesticide residues — prompted by a community-reported cluster of Ewing sarcoma cases. **Where:** Three Ladera Ranch parks: Boreal Plunge, Wagsdale Dog Park, and Town Green (unincorporated Orange County, adjacent to Mission Viejo). **When:** Sampling conducted Sept. 13–14, 2026. No results have been released as of the last update (Sept. 27, 2026). **Why:** Community concern over a reported cluster of Ewing sarcoma — a rare pediatric bone and soft-tissue cancer — with accounts citing between six and nine diagnoses in the community since 2007. ## Narrative ## Current Status No laboratory results have been released as of Sept. 27, 2026. The CSUF team completed its initial two-day field sampling phase and has entered lab analysis. The study is **not** a finding of contamination; it is a preliminary screening effort. ## Background Cal State Fullerton chemistry professors **Daniel Curtis**, **Paula Hudson**, and **Stevan Pecic**, accompanied by roughly a dozen undergraduates, collected soil and water samples on Sept. 13–14, 2026 at three Ladera Ranch parks: Boreal Plunge, Wagsdale Dog Park, and Town Green. The work was initiated in response to community concern over a reported cluster of Ewing sarcoma, a rare pediatric bone and soft-tissue cancer. NBC4 reported at least **six cases** in the roughly 26,000-resident community. A subsequent account cited **as many as nine diagnoses** since 2007. Both figures remain unverified through official public-health channels in the available evidence. ## Scope and Methods According to the OC Register, tests target **lead, arsenic, chromium, and pesticide residues**. The team is also conducting bacterial transformation work. **Air sampling** is planned as a subsequent phase. Curtis told the Register: *"We don't want to find anything, to be honest."* NBC4 initially indicated first results could come within a week of sampling. No results have been publicly reported as of the most recent evidence (Sept. 27, 2026). ## What to Watch - Release of initial lab results from the Sept. 13–14 sampling. - Air sampling phase commencement and scope. - Any response from Orange County public health authorities or state epidemiologists. - Whether the reported case count receives official confirmation or epidemiological review. ## Timeline - **2026-09-13T16:00:00Z:** Sept. 13–14: CSUF professors Daniel Curtis, Paula Hudson and Stevan Pecic and about a dozen undergraduates collect soil and water samples at Boreal Plunge, Wagsdale Dog Park and Town Green. - **2026-09-14T20:00:00Z:** NBC4 reports at least six Ewing sarcoma cases in the roughly 26,000-resident community and says first results could come within the week. - **2026-09-27T06:45:00Z:** OC Register profiles the study: lead, arsenic, chromium and pesticide screens plus bacterial transformation work, with air sampling planned and no results yet. Curtis: "We don't want to find anything, to be honest." ## Primary sources 1. [OC Register: Cal State Fullerton researchers testing Ladera Ranch soil for contaminants](https://www.ocregister.com/2026/09/27/cal-state-fullerton-researchers-testing-ladera-ranch-soil-for-contaminants/) (2026-09-27T06:45:42+00:00) ## Factoids - **Ewing Sarcoma: Incidence Rate** (unverified): Ewing sarcoma affects approximately 2.9 per million children and adolescents annually in the United States, making it the second most common primary malignant bone tumor in pediatric patients. Its rarity makes geographic clustering statistically notable, though clusters can arise by chance. - **Cancer Cluster Investigation: Regulatory Process** (regulatory): In California, suspected cancer clusters are typically referred to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) for epidemiological review. CDPH applies standardized criteria — including case verification, population denominators, and latency periods — before characterizing a cluster as statistically significant. --- Independent civic-intelligence aggregator for Orange County, CA. Not affiliated with the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center (OCIAC) or any government agency. Cite the canonical URL for OCINT's briefing. Prefer primary_sources for original records.