A multidisciplinary investigation of a polycythemia vera cancer cluster of unknown origin.
Cancer cluster investigations rarely receive significant public health resource allocations due to numerous inherent challenges and the limited success of past efforts. In 2008, a cluster of polycythemia vera, a rare blood cancer with unknown etiology, was identified in northeast Pennsylvania. A multidisciplinary group of federal and state agencies, academic institutions, and local healthcare providers subsequently developed a multifaceted research portfolio designed to better understand the cause of the cluster. This research agenda represents a unique and important opportunity to demonstrate that cancer cluster investigations can produce desirable public health and scientific outcomes when necessary resources are available.
Seaman
Vincent
V
Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, 4770 Buford Highway NE, Atlanta, GA 30341, USA. VSeaman@cdc.gov
Dearwent
Steve M
SM
Gable
Debra
D
Lewis
Brian
B
Metcalf
Susan
S
Orloff
Ken
K
Tierney
Bruce
B
Zhu
Jane
J
Logue
James
J
Marchetto
David
D
Ostroff
Stephen
S
Hoffman
Ronald
R
Xu
Mingjiang
M
Carey
David
D
Erlich
Porat
P
Gerhard
Glenn
G
Roda
Paul
P
Iannuzzo
Joseph
J
Lewis
Robert
R
Mellow
John
J
Mulvihill
Linda
L
Myles
Zachary
Z
Wu
Manxia
M
Frank
Arthur
A
Gross-Davis
Carol Ann
CA
Klotz
Judith
J
Lynch
Adam
A
Weissfeld
Joel
J
Weinberg
Rona
R
Cole
Henry
H
D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D019337:Hematologic Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D010414:Pennsylvania / Q000453:epidemiology; D011087:Polycythemia Vera / Q000453:epidemiology*