Since posting this a few days ago, the current number of confirmed (as of 1900 hours, 3/14) has now grown to 61 individuals. ( NewsNation) An investigation is underway at a New Jersey high school that could potentially be linked to what's known as a cancer cluster. I'm exhausted. The Environmental Protection Agency and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection are now leading the investigation into the high instances of brain tumor diagnoses among Colonia High School students and staff. All rights reserved. Komorek, who was hesitant about having her children, a junior and a freshman, at the high school, transferred them to another district school this week. The natural world can also pose a threat via volcanic ash or toxin-spewing fungi. "I wasn't happy and I knew that they didn't do enough sampling, didn't test soil, groundwater tests for PCBs," Komorek said. In 2016, Congress passed Trevors Law, named after a survivor of childhood brain cancer linked to a suspected cluster in Idaho deemed too small to study. Dose, too, is a major factor. "Also, records later revealed that in 1948, some radioactively contaminated materials had been trucked from the plant to the Middlesex Municipal Landfill (MML), one-half mile away. Caitlyn Shelton. Colonia High School is 1 of 3 high schools in . Follow The New York Times Opinion section on Facebook, Twitter (@NYTopinion) and Instagram. Their neurologist, who has been recognized as a global leader in neurosurgery by the World Federation of Neurological Societies, has treated and been involved with tens of thousands of brain tumors in his career. Komorek said some studies suggest a relationship between exposure to PCBs and a greater risk of developing brain tumors. Theres something there, in Colonia, Mr. Wisinski said. We understand that the state authorities will be forwarding this information to appropriate federal agencies," Massimino's letter states. But Mr. Lupiano said he ultimately hopes one way or another to be assured that all is as it should be. Komorek said sources of PCB in the school could include window, door or sink caulk, floor tile glue, paint, fluorescent light ballasts, expansion joints, concrete and mortar, materials which can emit PCBs into indoor air. He was 52 years old. Over and over, the facts spoke for themselves all were alumni of CHS from approximately 1975 1995. All three of them have since come down with rare brain disorders. We need answers! So, if you wish to help, please help me get the word out. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School graduate is on a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fellow graduates from the Woodbridge Township school developed the same rare brain tumor and graduated between the years 1975 to 1995 . These ores, imported for use in the nations early atomic energy program, were assayed at the Middlesex Sampling Plant and then shipped to other sites for processing. Lupiano, who is also an environmental scientist, and his wife Michelle-- both graduates of the high school -- were diagnosed with benign brain tumors 20 years apart. Would love your thoughts, please comment. New Brunswick, N.J., April 27, 2021 - The New Jersey State Cancer Registry (NJSCR), under the direction of the State Department of Health in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, has been awarded a seven-year, $9,085,109 contract (75N91021D00009) from the National Cancer Institute (NCI . Colonia High School. We need them to investigate the issue and if possible, deal with the cause. Earlier this year, 1989 Colonia High School graduate Al Lupiano developed a list of more than 120 people who were students, teachers or staff members at the school from the 1970s to 1990s who have apparently developed brain tumors, including his sister who died with a malignant brain tumor in February. And experts have been able to identify a clear cause in only a tiny percentage of those. We all of us attended Colonia High School. Why Al Lupiano raised alarm over Colonia HS cancer links, Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? Follow Joe on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Several of these people have already died, according to Colonia High School graduate Al Lupiano, who said he was diagnosed with a primary brain tumor in 1999 in a now-viral Facebook post. After the CBS Channel 2 News airing, the summarized radio broadcast on CBS 880, and the NJ 101.5 coverage, my phone has not stopped ringing. Superintendent of Schools Joseph Massimino announced the findings Thursday in a letter to township families, following allegations . You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! 100 PEOPLE WITH RARE TUMORS WHO ATTENDED SAME NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL DEMAND ANSWERS. Humans are awash in potential cancer-causing agents, and it is practically impossible to determine the cause of a given case. Sadly, several have already died. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. After meeting with Komorek, Massimino sent a notice to parents Monday about her results from additional environmental testing at the school. The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 producer, writer, and host Joe Votruba. Al Lupiano, a 1989 graduate of the school, has identified 65 Colonia High graduates, including himself and two other members of his family, who have been diagnosed with an extremely rare brain cancer. While I have spent countless hours gathering data, I simply havent had enough time to get others involved. Send to me ASAP by PM (FB Messenger)we would like to put this on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt TONIGHT! There never was a cancer cluster, Mr. McCormac said in June. Lng Th Vinh High School. To report that your child will be absent or late, call the Attendance Hotline: (732) 726-7040 Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Jason Wisinski, who lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to primary malignant brain tumors at the age of 38, became one of many convinced that a cluster a hyperlocal blight of cancer could explain why so many young residents were succumbing to tumors. I pray we find answers(as of 18:00 4/11, the list stands at 102 individuals), 4/5 UPDATE: There has been quite a lot of news coverage nowKatie Tur of MSNBC, NJ Spotlight, Tap Into, Infolad, etc. "We absolutely have concerns, the Democrat told NJ.com. Colonia High School Brain Tumors: New Jersey Cancer Cluster Causes Concern, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Lupiano, his wife . But in the field of public health, cancer clusters are defined by statistics, not gut instincts. Since cancer can take such a long time to manifest, evidence of what caused it has ample time to disappear. Tech & Science Science Health and Medicine Brain Cancer. In a mysterious story, a man from New Jersey named Al Lupiano found out that 100 people with uncommon cancers were linked to Woodbridge Township School District, Colonia High School. Schools in North Brunswick and Trenton, as well as in Greenwich, Conn., and Northport, N.Y., were discovered to have been constructed on or near contaminated soils. Lupiano promised his dying sister to dig for the root of the brain cancers apparently linked to the high school. Federal investigations take place: An investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency is being done to determine whether these 100-plus cases are a cancer cluster, or simply a coincidence, Fox News reported. The New Jersey Departments of Health (DOH) and Environmental Protection (DEP) say they are involved in an investigation into the apparent cancer cluster, though Lupiano says he has not received requests for information from either agency. Something Is Wrong Here. More Than 100 Local Residents Had Brain Tumors, but What Was the Cause? That means we have an incident rate of 15 cases out of 5,000 people. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. It says. Twenty-two years later, in 2021, doctors discovered that his wife, Michele, had a tumor, a benign acoustic neuroma on the left side of her brain. An estimated 165,000 cattle and calves were placed on feed during January 2023, 14 percent above last month but down 17 percent from the January 2022 placements. 2023 www.mycentraljersey.com. A scientist and mother is demanding answers after tests she conducted found cancer-causing toxins and materials were present at the school where more than 100 former students have since been diagnosed with brain tumors. I want someone else to go to.". Ive also started a sublist of what I am classifying as cases of interest due to several anomalies. The soil sample also contained some pesticides. The perception of a cluster in a community may be as important as, or more important than, an actual cluster, the C.D.C. Colonia High School . During the freshman orientation for parents, she collected a dust sample inside a bathroom which came back positive for polychlorinated biphenyls also known as PCBs, which have been linked to cancer in humans. Why is this alarming? Angela died from it. In 1999, the Corps prepared an Engineering Evaluation/Cost Analysis (EE/CA) to address the Vicinity Property (VP) pile remaining at the site. While there is no known direct correlation between this incident and the cluster of brain tumors that has emerged from former students and staff, it is worth noting the history of that area that could have potentially led to both incidents. Like 6 Comments |. His . Here are the best chocolates in New Jersey. Im working on a big piece for Vice News which will air on their network in a week or two, and the Star Ledger is running a multipage story which should drop this Sunday. Earlier this year, 1989 Colonia High School graduate Al Lupiano developed a list of more than 120 people who were students, teachers or staff members at the school from the 1970s to 1990s who have . According to the television station, the sisters graduated from Colonia High School. Before being devastated by a hurricane in 1960, Cliffwood Beach, NJ was a hot vacation spot that drew comparisons to Brooklyn's Coney Island. It started in 1999 when Mr. Lupiano, then 27, was diagnosed with a noncancerous one. This list too has grown quickly and is now 24 individuals. The states health department calculated it would be statistically ordinary for about 120 former students and staff members to have developed brain tumors in the decades since the school was built in 1967. The answer? Earlier:Some in Colonia not satisfied after no radiological hazards found at school. medical mystery at a high school following dozens of diagnoses of brain tumors. In addition to leaning less heavily on statistical significance, the federal agencys new updates also call for an evolution in the interpersonal aspects of a cluster investigation. Nguyn Tri High School. Early testing at the Woodbridge school by a consultant for the . PROMISING CANCER VACCINE IN THE WORKS UTILIZING SIMILAR MRNA TECHNOLOGY THAT COMBATS COVID: DUKE RESEARCHERS. Why Al Lupiano raised alarm over Colonia HS cancer links Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection building. Others told NJ.com they want a remote learning option until the investigation is complete. It confers such chaos into the people who are affected by it.. The television station reported that testing is ongoing. So that's why I focused on cancerous or malignant and benign because they're triggered by the same thing, and we have really solid statistics to say all. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School graduate is on a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fellow graduates from the Woodbridge Township school developed the same rare brain tumor and graduated between the years 1975 to 1995. Photo credit Google Street View. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Lupiano believes theres a link between. She made it five years, said Jason Wisinski to the television station. It was Lupiano, who is an environmental scientist and industrial engineer, who started connecting the dots. (Google Maps), "Our agencies are aware of the concerns raised by local residents, particularly as they relate to Colonia High School, and are partnering with Mayor McCormac and Woodbridge Township to better understand the issue and determine whether any relevant environmental exposure concerns are present at the site," the DOH and DEP said in a joint statement. In the '90s, the high school had another scare, this time on a much smaller scale that was ultimately ruled out as a possible concern. His wife Michelle graduated in 1991. With no state regulations for PCBs in schools, she suggested Vermont state guidelines be followed for indoor air testing because they are more conservative than federal Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. Al Lupiano, his wife and his sister all had brain tumors. But, according to the Change.org petition launched Tuesday, complete results aren't even anticipated to be received until the end of May. She also suggested air sampling be done with closed windows to make sure indoor air is not diluted. Even before Mr. Lupianos list had reached 100 people, it had drawn the attention of local and national news media and had catalyzed public officials to act. We all grew up in Woodbridge Township, but I lived in Iselin miles away from where she grew up in Colonia. RWJBarnabas Health and Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey - the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center - brings a world class team of researchers and specialists to fight alongside you, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials. Here's What to Know About Bruce Willis' Diagnosis, The Wanted's Tom Parker Dies at 33 After Brain Tumor Battle, Next Winter Storm May Bring Even More Snow to NYC Area This Week: What to Know. Radiation tests are being carried out at a New Jersey high school where over 100 former students and staff are reported to have developed brain tumors and cancerand the . About one in three people will develop cancer over a lifetime, and one in five will die from it. The incident rate for GBM is approximately 30 out of 1,000,000 people. Komorek said the superintendent thanked her for her research and said a consultant would have to review her findings. Al Lupiano, a 1989 Colonia High School graduate, has developed a list of nearly 120 people who were students, teachers or staff members at the school who have developed brain tumors.Lupiano's . The site received uranium, thorium and beryllium ores from the 1940s until 1967, at which time the facility was decontaminated to the standards in effect at the time. "I dont know that we know enough yet to be definitive in terms of causation, et cetera.". I will not rest until I find the answer! Sure, there's nothing inherently wrong with spending $11 on chicken tenders or $13 on a cocktail, but if you give yourself some extra time or have time to spare after the event, there are plenty of great food and drink options that all require less than a 20 minute walk. NJ high school linked to mystery cancer cases. It was an entry point for uranium ores that were "imported for use in the nations early atomic energy program, were assayed at the Middlesex Sampling Plant and then shipped to other sites for processing," according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) New York Division. Among other things, the law calls for periodic updates to federal cluster investigation guidelines work that the C.D.C., compelled by the legislation, began in 2018. That could look like presenting the public with clearer timelines of an investigations course of action, creating portals to gather community feedback and encouraging two-way communications from the start., After all, there has been a long history of patients serving as a critical warning system for epidemiology, with concerned residents having alerted public health officials to mercury poisoning diseases, birth defects caused by rubella, and toxic drinking water contaminants. By the time students let out for the summer, the case was closed. I am currently organizing data to formulate my next steps. He was born in . Phil Murphy told NJ.com the possible brain tumor cluster was disturbing but stressed it was too soon to make definitive conclusions about the cause. 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