Florida’s Hidden Health Crisis: What You Need to Know About Cancer Clusters
Did you know Florida has faced multiple confirmed disease clusters where unusually high rates of cancer or birth defects have been reported?
These clusters aren’t just statistics; they represent families, children, and communities who have suffered devastating health impacts, often linked to environmental exposures. Yet, many of these cases remain under-documented, under-investigated, or overlooked entirely.
This is why organizations like Fight For Zero are critical. They are the only organization in the state of Florida focused on prevention, researching how environmental exposures link to disease rates, helping families navigate health concerns, and inspiring communities to take better care of themselves and their environment.
Confirmed Clusters in Florida
Florida has had three officially confirmed clusters:
- The Acreage (Loxahatchee) – Brain cancer cluster, with multiple children affected.
- Immokalee – Birth defect cluster among agricultural families.
- Tallevast – Cancer cluster linked to industrial contamination
Other Cancer Cluster Investigations Across Florida
While not all officially confirmed, these communities raised serious concerns, many of which were investigated by state or federal agencies.
Master Table: Florida Cancer Cluster & Exposure Cases
Location / County | Short Overview | Suspected Source(s) | Reported Cancer/Disease | Timeframe | Official Status | Key Links |
Patrick Space Force Base, South Patrick Shores & Satellite Beach (Brevard) | Community reports of rare cancers (incl. Hodgkin’s; cases among Satellite HS grads). PFAS and legacy military waste concerns near base. | PFAS (AFFF foam), historic base dumps/groundwater contamination | Hodgkin’s disease; rare cancers among alumni | 1990s–present | Reviewed/No cluster (state reviews); testing & advocacy ongoing | Florida Today; USA Today; News13; WFTV; PFAS sampling |
Azalea Neighborhood, St. Petersburg (Pinellas) | Neighborhood over a groundwater plume tied to former Raytheon plant; residents cite health/property impacts. | TCE, vinyl chloride, 1,4-dioxane (groundwater) | Mixed cancers; exposure concerns | 2000s–present | Alleged/Ongoing (remediation oversight) | Legal Examiner overview |
Apopka Neighborhood (Orange) | Residents near Glen Park Circle reported many cancers in ~50 homes; water quality disputed. | Possible water contamination | Mixed cancers (incl. rare breast) | 2016–present | Reviewed/No cluster (county/state statements) | WFTV report |
Avalon Park / OUC Plant (Orange) | Lawsuits alleged coal plant emissions/waste linked to cancer “spikes” in east Orange. | Coal plant emissions/ash; groundwater/air | Rare cancers reported | 2018–present | Reviewed/No cluster (state report) | Orlando Sentinel; WFTV; ClickOrlando; Orlando Weekly; UCI slide deck |
Lake Apopka (Orange) | Long-term pesticide/runoff pollution; farmworker communities report elevated illness and cancers; wildlife impacts documented. | Pesticides (e.g., legacy DDT), nutrient runoff | Cancers, reproductive issues; ecosystem collapse | 1990s–present | Reviewed/No cluster (neighborhood-level); environmental remediation ongoing | ResearchGate study; WFTV; ClickOrlando; Orlando Weekly; Apopka Mole |
Bayshore High School (Manatee) | Alumni/parents reported unusual cancers; health dept collected data; big community meetings. | Unknown (school/area exposures) | Mixed cancers among alumni/staff | 2017–present | Reviewed/No cluster (no statistical confirmation) | ABC Action News; Health News FL; WTSP; Bradenton Herald; MySuncoast; WFLA |
Miami-Dade / South Florida – Childhood | Parents & researchers flagged unusual pediatric/thyroid cancers; mapping studies suggest clusters. | Mixed (environmental exposures under study) | Pediatric & thyroid cancers | 2000s–present | Reviewed/No cluster (official positions vary) | WLRN; Florida Politics; Fox4; ResearchGate; Taylor & Francis; NBC-2; WUWF; Eye on Miami |
St. Lucie County – Brain (Fort Pierce) | Multiple local glioblastoma cases (incl. youth) spurred investigations & legal help requests. | Possible environmental exposures (incl. proximity to St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant debated) | Glioblastoma (brain) | 2018–present (plus earlier research) | Reviewed/No cluster (state report) | CBS12; WFLX; CW34; UPI; WPTV; New Country 103.1; TCPalm (news & op-ed); NCBI (2005 study) |
The Acreage (Palm Beach) | One of Florida’s most noted clusters; elevated pediatric brain tumors confirmed by state; cause unresolved; litigation pursued. | Suspected industrial/military contamination in region | Pediatric brain tumors (esp. girls) | 2009–present | Confirmed (elevated incidence); Cause unknown | Palm Beach Post; Sun-Sentinel; NPR; The Nation; WNYC; ActiveRain |
Phosphate Mining & Plant City/Coronet (Polk & Hillsborough area) | Worker/community health concerns tied to phosphate mining/processing; Plant City cluster review; lawsuits. | Phosphate mining/processing contaminants | Lung cancer (workers), mixed community illnesses | 1970s–present | Mixed (worker studies show elevated risks; community cluster reviews) | NYT (1976); ResearchGate; FL DOH Coronet PDF; Orlando Sentinel; NCBI worker study |
Blue-Green Algae / Cyanobacteria (Statewide) | Harmful algal blooms linked to liver disease clusters and ALS risk; editorial calls for long-term health response. | Cyanotoxins from freshwater blooms | Liver disease; ALS; respiratory/dermal impacts | 2017–present | Statewide public-health concern (ongoing research) | First Coast News; Miami Herald; Sun-Sentinel; Tampa Bay Times; Jacksonville.com |
Brevard County Hotspots
- Port St. John – Cancer and asthma concerns in children before power plant changes.
- Palm Bay (Harris Corporation) – A Superfund site tied to health complaints, including childhood cancers.
- Kennedy Space Center – Workers reported exposure-related illnesses; an ALS cluster was investigated.
- Satellite Beach High School (2018) – 56 graduates diagnosed with rare cancers. PFAS chemicals from nearby Patrick Air Force Base found in wells. Fight For Zero helped push for health investigations.
- South Patrick Shores (1990s–present) – 30 Hodgkin’s lymphoma cases linked to buried military debris. Fight For Zero advocated for federal cleanup designation.
- Titusville, Melbourne, Palm Bay – PFAS chemicals found in city drinking water through Fight For Zero’s independent testing.
- Indian River Lagoon – Harmful algae blooms tied to fertilizer and sewage runoff, causing dangerous bacteria and toxins.
Other Notable Cases Around Florida
- Azalea Neighborhood, St. Petersburg – Raytheon groundwater contamination.
- Apopka – Residents reported cancer clusters linked to contaminated water.
- Manatee County (Bayshore High School) – Investigations into elevated cancer rates.
- Orange County (Avalon Park OUC Plant) – Concerns tied to plant operations.
- Lake Apopka – Known cancer cluster among farmworkers exposed to pesticides.
- Miami-Dade County – Childhood cancer clusters investigated.
- St. Lucie County – Brain cancer cluster reports.
- Polk County – Phosphate mining workers with higher cancer and disease rates.
- Union County – Reported the highest cancer rates in Florida.
- Palm Beach County (The Acreage) – Brain cancer cases investigated.
- Eglin Air Force Base & Jacksonville – Health concerns from legacy military contamination.
- Indian River Lagoon Region – Cyanobacteria/algal blooms linked to MRSA infections, respiratory illness, and toxic exposures (can expand beyond Brevard into Indian River, Martin, and St. Lucie counties).
- NASA Kennedy Space Center (Brevard County) – Worker clusters of ALS and other illnesses tied to legacy contamination.
- Jacksonville (Duval County) – Multiple Superfund sites and industrial exposures with suspected cancer risks.
- Manatee / Sarasota – Tallevast Community – Historic American Beryllium Plant contamination (officially confirmed cancer cluster in the past).
- Red Tide Events (Gulf Coast) – Linked to respiratory illness and possible long-term health effects, often paired with blue-green algae in public health reporting.
Why This Matters
- Better tracking and documentation of disease patterns.
- Independent research on links between environment and health.
- Prevention-focused policies that protect families before it’s too late.
How You Can Get Involved
- Learn more: Visit Fight For Zero to read about their research and resources.
- Volunteer or donate: Support efforts to help families facing health concerns and advocate for cleaner communities.
- Stay informed: Pay attention to local water quality reports, contamination alerts, and health studies in your area.
- Take action at home: Reduce chemical use on lawns, use safe water filters, and share resources with neighbors.
Other Disease Cluster Information in Florida
- American Cancer Society – Cancer Clusters (General Info)
- Bladder Cancer Clusters in Florida – Journal of Urology study
- Cancer Rates Down Nationwide, but “Hot Spots” Persist – CNN
- Cancer Hot Spots & Hazardous Waste Sites – Science Daily
- CDC Guidelines on Cancer Clusters
- Center for Health, Environment & Justice – Cancer Clusters Report (PDF)
- Chemical Contaminants & Human Disease (Florida Case Studies) – PDF
- Clusters of Young Adult Thyroid Cancer – Hindawi Study
- Defining the Elusive Cancer Cluster – Moffitt Cancer Center
- Disease Clusters in Florida – Report (PDF)
- Do Cancer Clusters Exist Around Atomic Plants? – E Magazine
- Florida Cancer Data System (State Database) – PDF
- Florida DOH – Cancer Clusters Booklet (2016)
- Florida Health Charts – Cancer Death Rates
- Study: Floridians Near Superfund Sites More Likely to Get Cancer – Miami New Times
- Highest Cancer Mortality Rates in Florida (Regional Report) – WellFlorida
- Mapping of Florida Childhood Cancer Clusters – ResearchGate
- MSU Statisticians Identify Florida Cancer Cluster – MSU Research
- National Cancer Institute – State Cancer Profiles Map
- Nemours Center for Childhood Cancer Research (PDF)
- Pancreatic Cancer Clusters & Arsenic in Florida Wells – BMC Cancer
- Patterns of Pediatric Cancer in Florida – Taylor & Francis
- The Story of Florida and Cancer Clusters – Eye on Miami Blog
- Contaminants in Alligator Eggs – Lake Apopka, Lake Griffin, Lake Okeechobee (Study Collection)
- Epigenetic Programming Alterations in Alligators (Lake contamination impacts)
- Perfluoroalkyl Acids (PFAAs) in Alligators – Merritt Island NWR (NCBI Study)
- Space Shuttle Launches Spewed Metals & Chemicals into Wildlife Refuge – Scientific American
These aren’t isolated incidents; they’re warnings. When chemicals seep into our water, soil, and air, they don’t just damage ecosystems; they impact our families, our children, and our future health. Florida’s clusters highlight the urgent need for: