Season 12 • Episode 985

985 - How to Investigate a Cancer Cluster

Dec 10, 2025

16:22

Leukemia & Lymphoma Environmental Health Pediatric Oncology Public Health Health Policy

Episode Description

About this episode:

In 1979, the town of Woburn, MA, raised the alarm as unusual numbers of children fell ill with leukemia. An investigation determined that this cancer cluster was likely caused by contaminated drinking water from two of the town's wells. In this episode: Suzanne Condon, who served as the associate commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Health at the time, and Megan Latshaw, an expert in disease clusters, explain what the Woburn investigation highlights about unusual patterns of cancer and how they are studied.

Guests:

Suzanne Condon, MSM, is an environmental health expert who served as the associate commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Health from 1980 to 2015.

Megan Latshaw, PhD, MHS, is a professor in Environmental Health and Engineering at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. She is also the co-instructor of an online course on disease clusters.

Host:

Dr. Josh Sharfstein is distinguished professor of the practice in Health Policy and Management, a pediatrician, and former secretary of Maryland's Health Department.

Show links and related content:

How The Post found growing rates of cancer in America's Corn Belt—Washington Post
Disease Clusters—Coursera
LEUKEMIA STRIKES A SMALL TOWN—New York Times
Childhood Leukemia in Woburn, Massachusetts—Public Health Reports

Transcript information:

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