Who responds to inquiries about a suspected cancer cluster?
Local or state health departments, along with cancer registries, provide the first level of response and have the most current local data for the area. If needed, these agencies can request assistance from federal agencies, including • CDC • National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH): http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/default.htm • National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/homepage.html • National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (NCCDPHP): http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/ • Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR): http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/ • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): http://www.epa.gov/ [external link] When people contact CDC with concerns about a suspected cancer cluster, CDC provides information and refers them to the appropriate local or state health department or cancer registry.
