Cancer Cluster Investigations

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) define a cancer cluster as a greater than expected number of cancer cases that occurs within a group of people in a geographic area over a defined period of time. Most cancer cluster investigations include an analysis of the occurrence of new cancer cases in a particular area over time and only answer the question, “Are there more cancer cases occurring in the area or population of concern than would be expected, based on the size and demographic characteristics of that population?”  It is important to note that the data and statistical analysis conducted at this step cannot determine if cancers observed in the community are associated with environmental, lifestyle, or other risk factors. Please see the DSHS Protocol for Responding to Community Cancer Cluster Concerns and the CDC and CSTE 2013  Guidelines for Investigating Suspected Cancer Clusters and Responding to Community Concerns for more information.

Summary Reports

2022

2021

2020

2019

2018

2017