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Leslie P. Boss, MPH, PhD; Paul H. Levine, MD; Robert S. Hanes, MD

JAMA. 1985;253(19):2843-2846.

Abstract
During a five-month period in 1982, diagnoses were made of Burkitt's lymphoma in three children and nasopharyngeal carcinoma in three teenagers who were residents of a small geographic area of central Texas. The observed number of these two Epstein-Barr virus-related cancers was significantly greater than the number expected in young patients based on Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results incidence rates. No epidemiologic associations were found linking any of the patients. Environmental studies including serological assays to determine a specific viral etiology were unrevealing. A search for new agents and the preservation of materials for future studies should continue to be a high priority in the evaluation of cancer clusters.

(JAMA 1985;253:2843-2846)

Author Affiliations
From the Division of Field Services, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control at the Bureau of Epidemiology, Texas Department of Health, Austin (Dr Boss); the Clinical Epidemiology Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md (Dr Levine); and the Department of Pathology, Brackenridge Hospital, Austin, Tex (Dr Hanes). Dr Boss is now with the Cancer Control Applications Branch, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Md.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to the Division of Field Services, Epidemiology Program Office, Centers for Disease Control, 1600 Clifton Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30333 (Dr Boss).

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