We are working to be able to transfer this technology to state public health laboratories so that they can do their own biomonitoring of chemical exposures. CDC helped plan, and participated on, the expert panel review last February 15th. A cancer excess may, or may not, be the result of an exposure to a unique carcinogen. A survey of 41 state health departments found they registered about 1900 cancer inquiries in 1996 alone. An additional challenge is the unrealistic expectation placed upon public health officials to identify and remove the cause of each cancer cluster.
Cancer clusters can provide an opportunity for cancer prevention and control.
Cancer education and screening programs are important tools in the fight to prevent and control cancer and can be used effectively in some cancer cluster circumstances. Scientific investigations of cancer clusters and local environmental concerns, however, may take years to complete and the findings are often inconclusive. If a cancer cluster and hazardous levels of an environmental contaminant coexist, removal of the health hazard seems prudent, regardless of its role in causing cancer. At CDC, three centers are involved in responding to cancer clusters. Cancer registries and their use to identify and monitor cancer trends are an essential tool for evaluating cluster inquiries.