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On June 23, 1997, state officials in the Department of Health announced an investigation of a cluster of children with rare brain and nerve-cell cancers in St. Lucie County. The Stuart News had identified 17 cases of this type of cancer in St. Lucie County. After six months, health officials said they identifies at least 31 childhood cancer cases. The News has found three others, for a total of 34. The first testing of possible environmental causes is not expected to begin until mid-January. Parents suspect pesticides and herbicides, but officials say finding a cause will be a slow process. Similar investigations have taken years and come up empty.