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Options to find source of rare eye cancer cluster to be voted on in Huntersville

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — The Huntersville Town Council is expected to vote Monday night on measures to figure out the source of a rare cluster of eye cancer cases.

Huntersville leaders will decide how much money they're going to spend on research to see if there's something in the environment near Hopewell High School that is causing the cancer, or if there's a genetic link in the patients.

The original vote scheduled at the beginning of April was postponed so that leaders could have more time to gather information on the proposals.

Town Council will consider two proposals. The first option would spend $15,000 on soil tests to determine how the land around Hopewell High has been used over the years.

[READ MORE: Huntersville rare eye cancer mystery faces new challenge]

The council will also consider a second proposal to test the genes of the patients. Genetic research would cost nearly $60,000.

Out of 1 million people, only five are diagnosed with ocular melanoma.

In 2014, a Channel 9 investigation revealed that at least a dozen cases of the rare eye cancer were reported in Huntersville. All the patients went to Hopewell High School or lived or worked nearby.

The planned soil and genetic tests have been on hold since researchers said their tests can't prove if any one chemical causes ocular melanoma.

Even so, some town leaders think the data proposed Monday night will still be useful.

Channel 9 will be at the meeting to report on what the council decides.

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