April 29, 2025
Daniel Hunsucker, PIO, daniel.hunsucker@vdh.virginia.gov
Sydney Manis, Epidemiologist, sydney.manis@vdh.virginia.gov
LENOWISCO Health District to Investigate Pediatric Cancer Concerns in Scott County
GATE CITY, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health’s LENOWISCO Health District is gathering information and data to investigate community concerns regarding pediatric cancer cases. A group of Scott County residents contacted the Virginia Cancer Registry concerned about the number of children with cancer in their area. In response, LENOWISCO Health District is collecting information from affected Scott County residents as a first step to investigate these concerns. Following the interview process, the Virginia Cancer Registry will evaluate the collected information and determine if it is a potential cancer cluster.
The LENOWISCO Health District has shared a survey on Facebook (https://redcap.link/ScottCI) to gather information and can also schedule confidential phone interviews upon request by calling 276-386-8019. To participate in the survey, parents or guardians must meet all the following criteria. The child must be:
- 19 years of age or under.
- diagnosed with any form of cancer between 2015 and 2025.
- a resident of Scott County or live no more than 15 miles outside of the county prior to the cancer diagnosis.
A cancer cluster is defined as a greater than expected number of the same or related cancer cases that occur within a group of people in a geographic area over a specific period of time. Overall, cancer clusters have proven to be extremely rare. To date, Virginia has no proven cancer clusters, and only a few have been identified within the United States.
For more information about the Virginia Cancer Registry or the investigation process, visit: https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/virginia-cancer-registry/cancer-clusters/. For assistance with the survey, to schedule phone interviews, or for more information, please call your local health department and ask to speak with the epidemiologist or deputy epidemiologist in the following counties:
- Lee County – 276-346-2011
- Scott County – 276-386-1312
- Wise County – 276-328-8000
- City of Norton – 276-328-8000