Journal article
Cancer cluster investigations: review of the past and proposals for the future
International journal of environmental research and public health, v 11(2), pp 1479-1499
28 Jan 2014
PMID: 24477211
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
Residential clusters of non-communicable diseases are a source of enduring public concern, and at times, controversy. Many clusters reported to public health agencies by concerned citizens are accompanied by expectations that investigations will uncover a cause of disease. While goals, methods and conclusions of cluster studies are debated in the scientific literature and popular press, investigations of reported residential clusters rarely provide definitive answers about disease etiology. Further, it is inherently difficult to study a cluster for diseases with complex etiology and long latency (e.g., most cancers). Regardless, cluster investigations remain an important function of local, state and federal public health agencies. Challenges limiting the ability of cluster investigations to uncover causes for disease include the need to consider long latency, low statistical power of most analyses, uncertain definitions of cluster boundaries and population of interest, and in- and out-migration. A multi-disciplinary Workshop was held to discuss innovative and/or under-explored approaches to investigate cancer clusters. Several potentially fruitful paths forward are described, including modern methods of reconstructing residential history, improved approaches to analyzing spatial data, improved utilization of electronic data sources, advances using biomarkers of carcinogenesis, novel concepts for grouping cases, investigations of infectious etiology of cancer, and "omics" approaches.
Metrics
Details
- Title
- Cancer cluster investigations: review of the past and proposals for the future
- Creators
- Michael Goodman - Emory UniversityJudy S LaKind - University of Maryland, BaltimoreJerald A Fagliano - New Jersey Department of HealthTimothy L Lash - Emory UniversityJoseph L Wiemels - UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer CenterDeborah M Winn - National Cancer InstituteChirag Patel - Stanford UniversityJuliet Van Eenwyk - Washington State Department of HealthBetsy A Kohler - North American Association of Central Cancer RegistriesEnrique F Schisterman - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentPaul Albert - Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentDonald R Mattison - University of Ottawa
- Publication Details
- International journal of environmental research and public health, v 11(2), pp 1479-1499
- Publisher
- MDPI
- Grant note
- R01ES09137 / NIEHS NIH HHS T32HL007034 / NHLBI NIH HHS N01 PC35135 / NCI NIH HHS P01ES018172 / NIEHS NIH HHS
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Environmental and Occupational Health
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000334436600017
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84893587290
- Other Identifier
- 991021871326404721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Environmental Sciences
- Public, Environmental & Occupational Health