To summarize, primary brain tumors of this type have an incidence rate of between 10-30 out of 1,000,000 individuals. A consultant will be testing the grounds at Colonia High School, New Jersey, amid concerns that the school is linked to a high rate of rare brain cancers. T+M Associates, an environmental engineering firm, was asked to investigate a link between the school and brain cancer last month. Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 02:45 PM EST. This is only one of many, many tests that can be performed. Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting research. In its first update to the guidelines since 2013 (which are expected to be finalized this year) the agency acknowledges that barriers to discovering and declaring true clusters remain. 89. ou can send me a private message using FB Messenger or call/text me at (732)718-4753. Taking the next steps to begin the investigation. Ultimately, if it isnt a radiation source that is causing these illnesses, Lupiano says other tests can be done to pinpoint a cause. The brain tumor cases, appearing over a thirty-year period, are a significant medical mystery that has caused alarm for experts. That, the "concerned Colonia High School parents, alumni, and township members" petitioning on behalf of their school community say, isn't acceptable. All rights reserved. Theres something there, in Colonia, Mr. Wisinski said. Despite the number of cases, officials first have to determine if scientific evidence indeed indicates a connection between the school grounds and the brain tumors. Casey returns to the Senate after cancer surgery 11 hours ago . said Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac. The situation first came to light after Colonia High School alumnus Al Lupiano identified at least 104 former students and staff who suffered from rare brain tumors and cancer. Its alarming because there are just so many people with a tumor malignant or benign, and its serious. "The medical journals are rich with data supporting ionizing radiation causes brain tumors. 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. 100 families having to be told the terrible news. 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. Environmental scientist Al Lupiano tells NBC4 New . Al Lupiano, a graduate of Colonia High School, tells Fox News Digital that since posting his theory about an apparent link between brain tumor diagnoses in 1990s and early 2000s graduates of . For a community desperate for sense-making answers, it may be a bitter truth: There is more cancer around us than we can comprehend, and yet not enough to make scientific sense of. His . Brian Thompson reports. 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. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. The plant received uranium, thorium and beryllium ores between the 1940s and 1967, which is the same year Colonia High School was built. It's going to have PCBs, they all do. PROMISING CANCER VACCINE IN THE WORKS UTILIZING SIMILAR MRNA TECHNOLOGY THAT COMBATS COVID: DUKE RESEARCHERS. But Mr. Lupiano said he ultimately hopes one way or another to be assured that all is as it should be. WOODBRIDGE Environmental testing earlier this year indicating there were no radiological hazards at Colonia High School, despite a growing list of former students who had developed brain cancers, wasn't enough to convince one mother that more testing shouldn't be done. After meeting with Komorek, Massimino sent a notice to parents Monday about her results from additional environmental testing at the school. My list currently stands at 90 cases. "One hundred out of 15,000 have brain cancer -- sure sounds like something we should be concerned about," Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac has said. Early testing at the Woodbridge school by a consultant for the . Follow Joe on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. His wife was similarly diagnosed with a malignant AN tumor, and his sister was diagnosed with malignant Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), which has an incident rate of 30 out of every 1 million people. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. These tumors are even more rare occurring in 10 out of 1,000,000 individuals. Parents are trying to get authorities to investigate these clusters and to discern what caused the disease patterns. So, if you wish to help, please help me get the word out. Back in March, Colonia High graduate Al Lupiano posted his theory about possible links between brain tumors diagnoses among 1990s and early 2000s graduates of Colonia High and since then, he . We all grew up in Woodbridge Township, but I lived in Iselin miles away from where she grew up in Colonia. Lupiano, an environmental scientist who tested ground samples for toxins over the course of his 33-year career, has suggested that the school's grounds could be contaminated, pointing to Middlesex, New Jersey, sampling plant as a potential linking factor behind the 100-plus tumors. Al Lupiano, a graduate of Colonia High School, tells Fox News Digital that since posting his theory about an apparent link between brain tumor diagnoses in 1990s and early 2000s graduates of . Very often the first time public health officials learn about a potential community health threat, said Dr. Morello-Frosch, is through community members themselves.. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. "We and our children deserve more! "From my perspective when we find this type of contamination on our client's property, we're not allowed to sit still and refuse to act. I'm doing this not only for my wife, my sister my nieces are currently in the school but this deserves further understanding. Why hasnt anyone confirmed Mr. Lupianos list, in order to have an official tally to compare with the official estimate? On April 15, 2022, Lupiano wrote on Facebook. Cancer does not awaken all at once. So, if not the neighborhood, what was the link? The television station reported that testing is ongoing. The township shared the information with the state Department of Environmental Protection and the state Department of Health. A Record of Decision (ROD) for Soils was signed September 2005. "[W]e have really solid data on primary brain tumors because of what we learned after World War Two, what we learned after Chernobyl," Lupiano explained. 3/21 UPDATE: I am scheduled to present my data to local, County, and State officials. Questions, corrections, or comments? The same day my sister was diagnosed (August 2021), I received the devastating news my wife Michele (nee Zawada) also has a very large (3.0 cm), very rare brain tumor called an Acoustic Neuroma (aka Vestibular Schwannoma) on her left side. The agencies acknowledged their concerns regarding the potential cancer cluster, but are not conducting any testing aside from radiation and radon that the Township undertook, even though the school remains open. Of the number placed in January, 18 percent weighed less than 600 pounds, 24 percent weighed from 600 to 699 pounds, 27 percent weighed from 700 to 799 pounds, 18 percent weighed 800 . The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. Thats why scientists and responders bear a great responsibility when it comes to helping citizens navigate uncertainty around a disease like cancer, which on its own can feel random and inexplicable. Alumni links 65 rare brain tumor cases to NJ high school, investigation launched. An alumnus of Colonia High School in Woodbridege, N.J. is investigating his former high school, claiming he has counted 115 people who attended or worked there to have had a rare brain tumor . With confirmed cases now at 61 we have an incidence of 61 out of approximately 10,000 individuals. Legal Statement. At the time I was seeking treatment, my oncologist/neurosurgeon was astounded that someone my age (I was 27) had a tumor so large. About one in three people will develop cancer over a lifetime, and one in five will die from it. If you would like to help, please contact the news and media agencies as well as your local, County, and State officials and get them involved. "Every inch of Colonia High School from buildings to fields is being tested for radiation to determine if there is a link between the school and the number of cancer cases . Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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. Since discovering three individuals in my family were diagnosed with very rare brain tumors, and all about the same size and on the same side of our head, I needed to find a link. While I am thrilled to have the information coming in again, its also very troubling to see the numbers continue to grow. Some depend on the type of exposure, others unleash carcinogenesis only in people with the right genetic predisposition. During my research, I uncovered a shocking number of our Woodbridge Township friends and family have also been diagnosed with primary brain tumors. If you were affected or have a tumor or rare cancer, I need your assistance. The Township of Woodbridge took 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. By the time students let out for the summer, the case was closed. At least one epidemiologist I spoke to for this article told me that, just glancing at the numbers, he wasnt surprised that public officials have determined Colonia was not a true cluster. Ten L Man High School. And experts have been able to identify a clear cause in only a tiny percentage of those. 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. My wife was awesome, and I think about her every day I talk to her all the time, Wisinski said. The Department of Health responded to the incident saying: We learned that one of the school's science teachers was demonstrating the use of a geiger counter (along with an accompanying sample of a low level radioactive source) as part of a science class lesson earlier that day. Dose, too, is a major factor. According to the Associated Press, a simple classroomdemonstrationof a Geiger counter resulted in panic when the radiation detectorshowed troubling results when a loud clamor was heard over a rock. 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. As part of the demonstration, the teacher used theinstrument to test a collection of rocks stored in the closet of the science class when one of the rocks registered a reading of radioactivity. According to Fox News, getting scrutiny in the controversy is the now-closed Middlesex Sampling Plant, which is a half hour away from Colonia. More than 100 people from the same high school have been diagnosed with brain cancer and it is feared soil contaminated with uranium used in the first atomic bomb made them ill. "The Departments stand ready to assist Woodbridge in reviewing any environmental data it collects to determine appropriate next steps. She went inside the school in August to swipe dust samples from a bathroom, and returned a month later collecting samples outdoors, soil from the ground and caulk from a school window. 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 . Colonia High School was reportedly the common denominator among those suffering from the tumors Credit: CBS NEW YORK. 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 . (Google Maps). Angela died from it. Why? Its very hard to pinpoint what it is that initiated that process.. Lupiano promised his dying sister to dig for the root of the brain cancers apparently linked to the high school. Marion Renault is a health and science journalist. All three have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. 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. I have requested a discussion with the Department of Health, and if need be, we can involve the Federal agencies. 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. "To me their health is the most important thing.". Ive requested a few pieces of historical data, trying to determine the history of the site prior to the construction of the HS. r indicating there were no radiological hazards at Colonia High School, Some in Colonia not satisfied after no radiological hazards found at school, 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, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. All three had attended Colonia High School in Woodbridge, in central New Jersey, and soon enough, Mr. Lupiano began asking on Facebook and on a local news site if any other graduates had similar diagnoses. Since cancer can take such a long time to manifest, evidence of what caused it has ample time to disappear. Earlier:Some in Colonia not satisfied after no radiological hazards found at school. Even so, these constraints do not relieve public health departments from their duty to do all they can to address their constituents concerns even if they cant deliver definitive answers and even if they are under strain themselves. 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. The Woodbridge town council spent $221,000 to deploy 83 radon testing devices and conduct radiological testing at the school building and encircling 28-acre campus. "The agencies acknowledged their concerns regarding the potential cancer cluster, but are not conducting any testing aside from radiation and radon that the Township undertook, even though the school remains open. Trng Vng High School. 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. Legal Statement. Even if evidence is black and white, its hard to convince people of something they arent prepared to believe, said Robert Laumbach, a professor of public health at Rutgers University who is leading a federal study of forever chemicals in Gloucester County, in southwestern New Jersey. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School . Colonia High School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575. Lupiano and his wife, also is a Colonia High School grad, also developed brain tumors. Trinity was led by Mike Bednostin who had a game-high 24 points. "[A]t least pick up the phone and say, Hey Al, what do you see? And I would be happy here's my list. A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. 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. Also in the 1980s, the contaminated materials disposed of at the MML were excavated, brought back to the site and stored in a specially constructed pile, known as the MML pile. Theres something special about cancer, said Richard Clapp, a cancer epidemiologist and a professor emeritus at Boston University. Like 6 Comments |. Colonia Park Mall in court over $200,000 in bills One month later, Mayor McCormac echoed this sentiment to me: Its frustrating that people who hoped that there was no radiation on the site now are upset that theres not, he said. I don't get that," he said. Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. According to the television station, the sisters graduated from Colonia High School. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! We need answers! Audrey Conklin is a digital reporter for Fox News Digital and FOX Business. Tonight I will be sitting down with The Garden State Podcast, which airs on various podcast services and Tik Tok. 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. I want someone else to go to.". Schools Radiation Testing Underway At NJ School With Possible Cancer Link They are now doing radon air testing after a 1989 Colonia grad said he found a high number of brain cancers linked to the . Dr. Marc Siegel discusses brain tumors that emerged among former Colonia High School students on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'. And thats not the case. According to ABC7, one of the victims was a woman named Janice Wisinski, who died 10 years ago from an inoperable brain tumor while pregnant. This is alarming if true! In 1980s, the contaminated residential properties were cleaned up, and the excavated soil was stored at the site in a specially constructed pile, known as the Vicinity Properties (VP) pile. His sister Angela Decillis graduated . Everything that was found is normal." But this isn't the first time the high school has had questions about the radiation levels in the area. Mr. Lupianos list of former classmates and staff members at Colonia High School with primary brain tumors hit 100 in April. Potentially contaminated soil had been removed from the Middlesex Borough property over the years,with some of the soil used for construction right around the time of the construction of Colonia High School. The updates also move to de-emphasize statistical significance as the main criterion for investigating suspected cancer clusters in order to make more room for other criteria, such as mortality and electronic health record data, neighborhood patterns of cancer and even community-created lists of individuals with cancer diagnoses. But patience appears to be wearing thin among some in the community, judging by the petition. "I dont know that we know enough yet to be definitive in terms of causation, et cetera.". Three weeks ago, I made a promise to my beloved sister on her deathbed I will uncover the truth! 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