01/07/2026
Breaking news from LENOWISCO Health District - no evidence of a cancer cluster in Scott County.
Complete news release follows -
Virginia Cancer Registry Releases Cancer Cluster Investigation Report
Gate City, Va. – Virginia Department of Health’s Virginia Cancer Registry (VCR) has released its Scott County pediatric cancer investigation report. The report indicates that cancer rates did not meet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definition of a cluster, based on the cases included in the 2014-2023 analysis.
“The results of the current investigation are being shared, but our work will not stop here,” said LENOWISCO Health District Director Reisa Sloce. “We will continue to provide the Virginia Cancer Registry with any additional pediatric cancer information we receive to ensure the most recent cases are reviewed as that data becomes more complete.”
The CDC and the National Cancer Institute (NCI) define a cancer cluster as a greater-than-expected number of same or related cancer cases that occurs within a group of people in a defined geographic area over a specific period of time.
LENOWISCO received 24 survey responses from people in Scott, Lee, and Wise counties, with half the reports from Scott County. Since Scott County reported half the cases, versus the other half of cases reported in two separate localities, the investigation focused on Scott County. Five survey responses met the case definition, and three more cases were identified from current registry data, for a total of eight cases included in the 2014–2023 analysis.
Data for 2024 and 2025 were not included in the investigation, as cancer data takes time to be finalized. The information must be verified, reviewed, analyzed and exchanged with other state registries. The two-year lag is universal across other states. The most recent data will be reviewed once this process is completed.
VCR staff reviewed each patient’s medical reports in the registry to confirm the correct type of cancer, where the cancer started within the patient, and when it was diagnosed. This review included doctors’ notes and test results to ensure accuracy.
Environmental factors such as radon, drinking water and industrial site concerns were also reviewed to identify common environmental exposures. No link to environmental factors were identified.
“LENOWISCO Health District remains committed to supporting Scott County and its residents,” said Sloce. “We are truly invested in the health and wellness of our community and strive to connect you with available resources and address health related concerns.”
The full report is available at www.vdh.virginia.gov/virginia-cancer-registry/cancer-clusters/ For more information about cancer data, visit the Virginia Cancer Registry Facilities Dashboard at www.vdh.virginia.gov/virginia-cancer-registry/data/
Cancer Data Cancer Data Request Virginia Cancer Dashboard Institutional Review Board Cancer Data 2011-2020 The Virginia Cancer Registry (VCR) is working on a quality assurance review of cancer incidence data. We are reviewing patients' residence information reported by healthcare providers, includin...
