Find Us . Finding the one exposure that could be the cause can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. More than 100 former Colonia High School students and staff over a 30-year period have been diagnosed with cancer and local parents say the information they're getting on the investigation. Of course, its also possible for cancer clusters to occur in communities as well. Over 100 cases of brain tumors and other cancers have been discovered in former students of Colonia High School, constituting a cancer cluster according to Stanford's Dr. Paul Graham. Cancer Clusters. The parallels are the problems with trying to get exposure to all the organizations to try and get an investigation, he said. "The results of the study identified four compounds: polychlorinated biphenyls and three pesticides -- chlordane, heptachlor and heptachlor epoxide. The Woodbridge town council approved two emergency resolutions earlier this week to begin radiological assessments at the high school, after resident Al Lupiano alerted . Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox. A New Jersey mom is pushing for more testing at her kids' former school. For questions or to schedule an appointment, contact the Arizona Center for Cancer Care team at 623-238-7330 or visit us at 10320 W. McDowell Rd . Lupiano's sister, a Colonia High School graduate, died with a malignant brain tumor in February and both he and his wife, who also is a Colonia High School grad, developed brain tumors. Komorek gathered dust, caulk and soil samples and sent them to outside labs for testing. Colonia High School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575. Other agencies, such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the National Institute of Environmental and Health Sciences (NIEHS), may also help investigate. There are very few direct causes to the types of brain tumors we are talking about., Dr. Frank Attenello, assistant professor of neurosurgery at the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, tells Newsmax that he is similarly baffled. Advocates for an official investigation into fears of a "cancer cluster" at the Middlesex County high school say there are parallels to the notorious water system contamination in the Ocean County town that was blamed for more than 130 cases of childhood cancer in the 1990s. Hes dying to live, not living to die, she said. Exposures are very unlikely to cause cancers right away. The Jacob Fuchsberg Law Firm is investigating a potential cancer cluster at Colonia High School in Woodbridge, NJ which may be linked to students and staff exposure to radiation on the school grounds over the past five decades., The initial investigation began several weeks ago, when 1989 graduate Al Lupiano rang the alarm bell that there seemed to be an unusual amount of cancer cases among graduates of the high school., Mr. Lupiano was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma on the left side of his brain in 1999. People are exposed to countless natural and man-made substances during their lifetimes, and to make this even more complex, these can interact with each other. They should at least do an initial investigation.. Meanwhile, the City of Woodbridge is taking the lead in the investigation, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for testing at a school that graduated roughly 15,000 people over the last 30 years. Despite the number of cases, officials first have to find if there is indeed a connection between the school grounds and the brain tumors. Kamal said there is no need for people to get screened for brain tumors unless they are experiencing unusual symptoms such as new headaches, vision problems or issues with balance. So, its not uncommon for several people in a relatively small area to develop cancer around the same time. What were hearing anecdotally is alarming, and it may be after doing a scientific analysis that it turns out its not technically a cluster but its sufficiently alarming that they should do a full-scale evaluation to determine that.. But in many cases, even when it seems there is a cluster, a single cause cant be found. Available Every Minute of Every Day. An update on cancer cluster activities at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In conclusion, the results of the radiological investigation at the high schooland grounds are within the normal variation of background radiation levels inNew Jersey and are therefore not indicative of concern over radiologicalexposure to individuals at the site. 2012;42(6):474-490. But just what is a cancer cluster? American. These factors need to be taken into account when determining if there are more than the expected number of cancers in a group of people. Each part of this definition is important. This is only one of many, many tests that can be performed. If not, the health department will probably look into doing a brief investigation and then, if needed, will do a more complete review of the situation. The Woodbridge town council approved two emergency resolutions earlier this . Colonia High School is now the. Or should it also include the larger community, or even nearby communities? What does it take to outsmart cancer? These areas may have cases that may or may not be related to the others. She declined to say how much money her family received. There are growing concerns over a medical mystery at a New Jersey high school following dozens of diagnoses of brain tumors dating back decades. By Maxwell Newman | If you are concerned about a possible cancer cluster, contact your local or state health department. 1:44. The type(s) of cancer seen is also important. Views expressed by our advertisers and sponsors are their own, and are not endorsed by NJ Spotlight News. There are several cases of a rare type of cancer. Workplace exposures may be more likely to cause cancer because the level of exposure can be higher and might last longer than in other settings. When you have as many as theyre saying they have, its going to take so long for the government to finally verify it, said Linda Gillick, who led community calls for an official investigation of the Toms River cases starting in the late 1980s. Remind: Using the Remind texting platform to invite students to event and to remind students of upcoming deadlines. We appreciate the NJDOH, NJDEP, ATSDR, and CDC assistance to the Woodbridge Townships environmental investigation that is currently ongoing, but strongly believe that this is not enough. The cancers should either be all of the same type or types of cancer that are known to have the same cause. April 09, 2022, 10:00 a.m. WOODBRIDGE TWP., NJ - Testing began Today at Colonia High School due to a cancer cluster of people who have worked, or attended school and are now diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. The type(s) and number of cancers involved, Any suspected exposure(s) that might cause cancer, The area and time period in which the cases occurred, Specific information about each person thought to be affected, Specific information about the cancers themselves, Cancer cases within family members who are blood relatives (especially cancers known to be strongly genetically linked), Different types of cancers that are not known to be related to one another, A few cases of very common cancers, particularly when the people affected are of the usual age and sex for those cancers, Cancers among people who didnt live in the same area at the time an exposure would have to had taken place to cause that cancer. There are reports of radiation causing these tumors at the high school, and as far as environmental exposure, radiation is the most common one, but it is still relatively low. Those three compounds are known or are probable carcinogens," Komorek said. Cancer mystery at NJ school More than 100 people who graduated from Colonia High School have developed brain cancer. For a better-informed future. "We should proceed with a bit of caution," said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer of the American Cancer Society. "I have full faith they will get to the bottom of this and they will figure out what is going on," Genoni said. For most well-documented cancer clusters that have been found to be caused by a shared exposure, the exposure took place in the workplace, rather than in the communities where people lived. "I think that air testing should be done immediately to determine whether or not there are hazardous levels of those chemicals in the indoor air," Komorek said. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. "It was shock," Al Lupiano, a former student, told "GMA" at the time. (Also see the Additional resources section.). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a cancer cluster is defined as a greater-than-expected number of cancer cases that occurs within a group of people in a geographic area over a period of time, Early information from the investigation suggests that the students at the high school may have suffered radiation exposure, although such reports are still unconfirmed., Radiological testing has begun at the school. I think the story has gotten some pretty widespread coverage. and 'What is the likelihood that a sister of me and my wife can have a brain tumor at the same time?'". For a better-informed future. In April, Colonia High School in Colonia, New Jersey, made national headlines after more than 100 former students and staff reported online that they had been diagnosed with brain tumors, in a period that spanned across three decades. Scientists have a specific definition of a cancer cluster. But Komorek remains unconvinced, believing there could be other possible causes. The pace and thoroughness of investigations is a topic that Dr. Russell Lonser, chair of the department of neurological surgery at Ohio State University, says is vital. Gillick, 73, said the Toms River campaign led to a clean water supply thats closely monitored. We insist on more action from the CDC, NJDOH and NJDEP. Robert Miller The investigation was jumpstarted after it was discovered more 122 people once connected to the. Goodman M, Naiman JS, Goodman D, LaKind JS. When considering if a cancer cluster might exist, its important to keep in mind that cancer is common. It might turn out that a cluster does have a common cause once its investigated, but more often it turns out that no common cause can be found. Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. 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. Goodman M, LaKind JS, Fagliano JA, et al. Based on this, most suspected clusters can be determined not to be true clusters, and no further investigation is needed. The number of people with rare brain tumors who either attended or worked at Colonia High School in Woodbridge has grown to 117, according to Al Lupiano who has been conducting his own research into a suspected cancer cluster. For it to be considered a true cluster, it usually must have one of the following characteristics: If the excess cancer cases include many different types of cancer over a period of many years, its not likely to be a true cancer cluster, or to be caused by a single environmental factor or exposure. Grad Inks Deal to Bring Free Brain Scans to NJ Community in Cancer Cluster Mystery More than 100 former Colonia High School students and staff over a 30-year period have been diagnosed with cancer 2008;100(9):614-621. WOODBRIDGE TWP., NJ - Testing began Today at Colonia High School. Earlier:'It can't be a coincidence': Colonia High School community probes mysterious cancer cases, Earlier:Location sought for brain scans in wake of alleged cancer cluster tied to Colonia High School, Earlier:Colonia High School cancer probe catches NJ Department of Health attention. Cancer Clusters. 2023 NewsmaxHealth. Because the school remains open, we demand greater urgency to find out if potentially harmful substances are harming our children and staff at Colonia High School. He has also lost the sight in one eye, and is hearing-impaired, but is smart and funny, with a strong will to live. The initial investigation began several weeks ago, when 1989 graduate Al Lupiano rang the alarm bell that there seemed to be an unusual amount of cancer cases among . Jacob Fuchsberg Law Firm Investigates Potential Cancer Cluster At Colonia High School. Look at my son, she said. Is Colonia High School the next Toms River? Partnered with ABOR, Ask Benji, College Connect Tempe- Advisor called students and parents over Winter Break who had not completed FAFSA, shared importance of completing, offered 1:1 assistance to complete if applicable. 10? We couldnt do what we do without our volunteers and donors. Lupiano is also the whistleblower who discovered a possible cancer cluster in graduates and educators from the high school. A part of the campus is named for Pat Barbato - a longtime football coach . It goes on to say that we anticipate receiving results from the comprehensive testing by the end of May. , or even nearby communities, newsmax health, and no further is. 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