|
SCCCR Home Page |
|
||
South Carolina Central Cancer RegistryCancer Clusters
A cancer cluster is a group of more cancer cases than normal in a small area, like a neighborhood, or within a short time period. Cancer clusters are reported when people learn that an unusual number of their friends, family, neighbors or co-workers have cancer. It is normal to know a lot of people with cancer. The American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that 1 in 2 men and 1 in 3 women will have cancer in his or her lifetime, and it will affect 2 in 3 families. At least five types of cancer are very common: These five major cancers make up over 70 percent of all the cancer cases in the United States today. Because these five cancers are so common, several cases might occur in one place. True cancer clusters might include these, but they are more likely to involve rarer types of cancer. A true cancer cluster exists when the number of cancer cases that occur is more than would be expected by chance to occur in a certain location or time period. This is most often true for rarer cancers, like bladder or brain cancer. Those people have something in common, like living in the same neighborhood or working in the same plant, over a long period of time.
In response to a community cancer inquiry, the SCCCR conducts a community cancer assessment for that community. They determine if the number of reported cases is above normal. To do this they compare the number of cancer cases that actually occurred to the number of cancer cases expected in the area. The SCCCR begins by looking at the zipcode area of concern. The zipcode area is the smallest area that can be analyzed. If any unusual excesses exist, those are looked at in more detail to determine if a "true cancer cluster" exists. However, about 95 percent of reports are not true clusters. They appear to be clusters because cancer is so common. Even a true cluster might not result from one common factor. Chance alone can sometimes account for higher rates of cancer. DHEC’s cancer cluster investigators can find out whether a "true cancer cluster" exists. View the SCCCR's Protocol for Handling Cancer Cluster Investigations (PDF-1,274KB) View the SCCCR's Cancer Cluster Guideline Summary (PDF - 14KB)
The SCCCR conducts approximately 30-40 community cancer assessments each year. Since the SCCCR began investigating community cancer inquiries, only one true cancer cluster has been identified in South Carolina. Summary reports are available for community cancer assessments conducted by the SCCCR within the last year. The zipcode-level reports are listed by county. Find A Report
TOLL FREE IN SC: 1-800-817-4774
|
||
