White Lake, Michigan: A Town Searching for an Answer to a Potential Disease Cluster

Two weeks ago, NRDC co-released a paper on disease clusters in 13 states with the National Disease Clusters Alliance. The report was discussed in a U.S. Senate hearing and has generated a lively discussion on my colleague, Dr. Gina Solomon’s blog.

Clearly this issue has captured wide attention – for good reason – and it has also raised questions from communities across the country. Many people have contacted us to report locally high rates of disease and to ask that their community be investigated or included in our report. Interestingly, some people from White Lake in Muskegon County, Michigan, are asking the opposite question this week -- whether their community should have been included in our paper, since their cluster has not yet officially been confirmed.

White Lake has an on-going inquiry into possibly elevated cancer rates.

In a creative effort to get to the bottom of what’s going on locally, community members have themselves been gathering information on cancer cases throughout Muskegon County. Local health officials have been meeting with the community and have agreed to review the data from this investigation.

White Lake has a  history of toxic contamination associated with several hazardous waste sites which have contaminated the lake with heavy metals and volatile organic compounds. The area has undergone extensive clean-up, and the community is rightfully proud of the accomplishments they have made. But that effort has not erased questions over whether past contamination could have contributed to elevated rates of cancer, which can develop decades after an exposure has taken place.

We do not yet know whether a cancer cluster will be confirmed in White Lake, but community leaders are asking the right questions.

Our report included communities in 13 states that have disease clusters confirmed in investigations by health departments, the federal government, or academic researchers. We also included within our criteria communities where investigations are ongoing, including White Lake, Michigan, and Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. In Camp Lejeune, over 60 men who have lived on that base have been diagnosed with male breast cancer – a very rare disease, and the investigation is also looking into possibly elevated rates of birth defects and other cancers as well.

The updated version of our report and maps now more clearly indicate that these two communities are still under investigation as home to possible disease clusters.

The situation in White Lake is illustrative of how disease cluster investigations often begin. Concerned community members ask hard questions, gather information and bring it to the attention of a government official.

Unfortunately, communities themselves rarely have adequate resources to conduct formal cluster investigations, which can be lengthy and expensive, and require access to data and statistical resources.  That’s why health departments and federal agencies need to take an active role in these investigations. Even with adequate resources, cluster investigations may be inconclusive, due to limitations in the data collection, small numbers of cases, people moving in and out of the area, and other confounding factors. Confirmed disease clusters, therefore, may represent the tip of the iceberg.

The community of White Lake, Michigan is struggling to complete an investigation of cancers in their community with only local health department assistance, and without any federal government resources. It’s a tough road for a community to follow. That’s why legislation (S. 76, “Trevor’s Law”), introduced recently by Senators Boxer and Crapo, is so needed. This law is being championed by communities all across the country that have tried to get help investigating local disease clusters, and have encountered barriers and reluctance from federal agencies. Whatever the ultimate result of the investigation in White Lake, that community is not alone. Dozens of communities across the country are struggling for answers, and they need help.