"They'll have the means to do air sampling, water sampling and soil sampling," Lupiano told New Jersey 101.5. But he made a promise to his late sister that he would find out. Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. Normally speaking, you dont get radiation in a high school unless something is going on in that area that we dont know, Raval added, calling for an immediate investigation. The viral TikTok video discussing the purported cancer cluster was posted Wednesday by popular personality Dr. Joe Whittington. LaTourette said during the press conference every possible link to cancer was tested. also a graduate of the high school, died recently from brain cancer. He believes something at the high school in one of the more suburban and affluent sections of the township is responsible for dozens of brain cancer cases. It may be that once someone is diagnosed with cancer, they are more likely to take note of other cancer diagnoses or more likely to have conversations about cancer and realize their connections to other cancer patients, Platz said. Over 122 people connected to Colonia High School were found to have brain tumors. COLONIA, N.J. (WCBS 880) A New Jersey town is planning to conduct environmental testing at a high school after dozens of alumni and others connected to the institution developed rare brain tumors. Colonia Mayor John McCormac announced Thursday afternoon the results of the findings of the Environmental Assessment Study that was conducted to investigate if Colonia High School buildings and grounds. Lupiano also suggested a potential link between Colonia High School and a Middlesex, New Jersey, sampling plant in his interview with NJ Spotlight. "When I looked at the email and I saw the data I just dropped. In April, Woodbridge approved environmental testing at the school, but those results won't be made available until the end of June. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Head trauma could put people at higher risk of brain cancer, Actress beaten by stranger, diagnosed with brain tumor and run over by car, My wife thought she had baby brain it was deadly cancer, My face is melting off due to a rare disease, Chill Hip hop 37(932007) 212soundworks, American Association of Neurological Surgeons. The Middlesex Sampling Plant, which has since closed, is located on 9.6 acres, about a 30-minute driving from Colonia. A majority of former students of Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a rare brain tumour. "If there's a unique exposure, we would expect a unique cancer type," Platz said. This is definitely not normal.. After the testing ends, Lupiano said he and his supporters will be looking for a commitment by federal authorities for a conclusive investigation into whether something in the schools environment caused the brain tumors. "It needs to be investigated, no questions asked," said Elizabeth A. Platz, a professor of epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. Its not something in soil. McCormac said he was very concerned to learn of the possible link. The devoted brother promised his sister on her deathbed that he would get to the bottom of what was causing the apparent cancer cluster at Colonia High. The gas is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. 4/24 UPDATE: The radiological team charged with looking for both radiation and radon has concluded. All these photos are from AP and Getty publications, meaning they were used in a magazine or newspaper. The chances of one person gettingacoustic neuroma are roughly 1 in 100,000, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Age, exposure to radiation and family history are all risk factors. Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. For a better-informed future. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. The issue became national headline in the United States after CBS News aired a story on it. Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting research. Researchers need to ask themselves, for example, whether an apparent cluster could reflect the fact that many cancer victims are older, or whether their tumors may have been caused by radiation that was used to cure some other illness, he said. (Gosselin Funeral Home) In August 2021, DeCillis received her diagnosis of Grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive, rare, and deadly form of brain cancer. Working that out takes time, Platz said. ", NEWS: Piscataway man convicted of exploiting daughters college peers after moving into dorm. "If I was a parent with a child in the school, I'd be literally sick to my stomach thinking, is my child at risk right this second?" Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. In August 2021, DeCillis received her diagnosis of Grade 4 glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive, rare, and deadly form of brain cancer. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Initially, he found 15 people who attended the high school and were diagnosed with a primary brain tumor, meaning a tumor that originates in the brain, according to NBC Today. According to NJ Spotlight News, McCormac has been contacted by at least five agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Jersey Department of Health. Discussions with that doctor about the rarity of three family members all being diagnosed with brain tumors led to Lupiano's quest for more research because radiation exposure is a well-documented cause of brain tumors. "We continue receiving lip service, that we're here to help, but when we look around, they are nowhere to be found.". All rights reserved, mysterious cluster of brain tumors dating back decades, He's looking for a place to host the screenings in early June, NJ Parents Demand Swifter Action in School Cancer Probe After 100+ Brain Tumors Diagnosed, Cancer Cluster Probe at NJ HS Underway After 100+ Diagnosed With Brain Tumors, Next Winter Storm May Bring Even More Snow to NYC Area This Week: What to Know, 4 Ferraris Stolen on Long Island in Service Center Heist. We are looking at possible things that we can do between the town and school, and they said they will look at anything we come up with, McCormac said. Al Lupiano, 50, began investigating his alma matter of Colonia High School in Woodbridge, N.J. after his sister died of glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive and malignant brain tumor. Fortunately one of the survivors is an environmental scientist Al Lupiano, who is bringing attention to this and he is . The township has filed an Open Public Records Act request with the state Department of Education to get files from 55 years ago when the school was built, the mayor said. The announcement comes on the heels of the development that a New Jersey man who graduated from the high school that he believes is linked to a mysterious cluster of brain tumors dating back decades -- and to his own diagnosis -- says he's gotten a New York City-based foundation signed on to offer free brain scans to people in the community who may not otherwise have access. . The brain tumor cases, appearing over a thirty-year period, are a significant medical mystery that has caused alarm for experts. Its overwhelming. We do not believe that there is cause for any further testing, he said. The EPA says that inhaling radon for a long time increases your risk of lung cancer. Since . "Al has presented enough evidence that warrants further attention, but we have to rely on the experts to draw their conclusions.". CBS News has reached out and is awaiting response from the principal of the school, superintendent and mayor as well as the Federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry. Fox News correspondent Bryan Llenas has the latest as 100+ have been diagnosed with rare brain tumors from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey. They have a lot more resources at their disposal. We've received your submission. WOODBRIDGE A New Jersey man is on amission to find a link between rare braintumors inmore than 60 graduates and former staff at Colonia High School, including his wife and late sister. Lupiano also spoke with CBS News on Thursday, saying he now believes ionizing radiation must be responsible for the health issues. He had developed 'rare' brain tumor some 20 years ago. Thats 100 people with their life forever changed. WOODBRIDGE - The township has approved an emergency contract of $221,350 for an engineering firm to conduct radiological assessments at Colonia High School, following a 1989 graduate's. Phil Murphy, whose administration has also been pushed to get more involved, recently described the tumor cluster as disturbing but echoed Woodbridge Township officials in stressing it was too soon to make definitive conclusions about the cause. What I find alarming is theres truly only one environmental link to primary brain tumors, and thats ionizing radiation, he declared. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Early testing at the Woodbridge school by a consultant for the . To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Lupiano's familiarity comes from his own experience. A 2012 study in the journal Critical Reviews in Toxicology demonstrates how tricky it can be to confirm a cancer cluster. For the Lupianos, they believe the chances of all three of them having tumors on the left sides of their brains were too high to be a coincidence. Lupiano eventually arrived at a single linking factor between himself, his wife and his sister: they each attended Colonia High School in Woodbridge in the 1990s. After his sister passed away, Lupiano wrote a lengthy Facebook post as well as an article in a local newspaper in March, asking for people in the area for help in reporting cases of brain tumors. Print |. This is how New Jersey saw the world from 1940-to 1980. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! And it's not just the school that could be at risk. While not technically cancer, these brain tumors can grow and become life-threatening if left untreated. Immediate action from our State and Federal agencies is warranted," Lupiano said. Janice's sister Chery Black also died from brain cancer in 2015. To his knowledge, there was nothing remotely dangerous at the site. All are awaiting results from the radiation testing at the school before deciding how to get involved and proceed with the investigation. The canisters do not poseany danger and do not emit any substance, and are routinely used in homes, businesses and schools to collect radon measurements, township officials said. COLONIA, N.J. - Radiation tests are being done at Colonia High School in New Jersey after more than 100 people were diagnosed with rare brain tumors. Please subscribe or activate your digital account today headline in the journal Critical Reviews in Toxicology how. Update: the radiological team charged with looking for both radiation and family are. 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