Support our nonprofit newsroom. In fact, there appears to be no panic at this school over the brain tumor reports, no one asking for transfers that Dawn or her son, John, know about. For example: McClintock's Dia de los Muertos FAFSA event was promoted to our students at Tempe High as well. We couldnt do what we do without our volunteers and donors. Why has no one attempted to contact the individual who brought the potential cancer cluster to light? 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. 2012. Less often, an investigation finds a true cancer cluster, but no cause can be found. We are concerned Colonia High School parents, alumni, and township members, writing on behalf of our school community. Thursday, 28 April 2022 11:44 AM EDT. 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. Will you do the same? At the same time, there may be people who were not exposed who develop the same cancer by chance. 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. The type(s) of cancer seen is also important. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. We're improving the lives of cancer patients and their families through advocacy, research, and patient support to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Why hasnt the data he collected been requested and reviewed? All rights reserved. Edyta Komorek, an environmental scientist, told "Good Morning America" she was concerned her township was not doing enough to address concerns -- so she launched her own study. For example, the number of cases might not really be higher than expected once other factors that could explain the increase (such as peoples age, gender, and tobacco use) are taken into account. Even if statistics show that it may be a true cluster, its important to know that its very rare that a cause is found. Parents like Dawn Genoni are willing to wait for those results. Each part of this definition is important. This should include giving people a realistic idea of what may or may not be found. 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. 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. 2023 American Cancer Society, Inc. All rights reserved. Testing began Today at Colonia High School for Cancer Cluster. If there is a potential cause, investigators first have to figure out when these people were exposed to it. Accessed at www.cdc.gov/nceh/clusters/faq.htm on April 29, 2019. If you are concerned about a possible cancer cluster, contact your local or state health department. Accordingly, no further testing or remediation is required or recommended atthis time," New Jersey Department of Environmental Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette said in the letter. The assessment was conducted by T&M Associates, a consulting, engineering, environmental and technical services management company and Cabrera Services, a radiological and environmental remediation company which collected dates and conducted testing. The American Cancer Society offers programs and services to help you during and after cancer treatment. 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. The counselors, teaching staff and volunteers at THS go above and beyond to meet students and families where they are at. Our goal is to continue moving students through the college application process and to help students reach important scholarship deadlines. Because of the fact that schools are considered sensitive receptors, due to childrens susceptibility to the adverse effects of exposure to toxins chemicals, the investigation of the Colonia High School cancer cluster must be of utmost importance. You would find that some of the circles would contain more cancers than expected, and some would have fewer. The township authorized the emergency contract of more than $200,000 in April to conduct the radiological assessment of the school and grounds after Al Lupiano, of Jamesburg, a 1989 Colonia High School graduate,developed a list of more than 120 people who were students, teachers or staff members at the school who have apparently developed brain tumors. To see if there is a greater number of cancers than expected, the number of cases seen needs to be compared to what would typically be seen in a similar group of people such as a group with the same age, gender, and ethnicity. Colonia graduate Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist, was the first to sound the alarm about the potential cluster. Whether you or someone you love has cancer, knowing what to expect can help you cope. Jon Hurdle, a freelance writer who regularly reports on water and other environmental issues, is part of the NJ Spotlight COVID-19 reporting team. "Everybody concluded that there was no need for further testing and that the grounds and the buildings were 100% safe," Woodbridge Township Mayor John E. McCormac said after the investigation. 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. About half of the cases had been determined to be cancerous. It can be very hard to figure out which of many exposures might be the cause: With rare exceptions, scientists dont have a way of telling what trigger (if any) may have caused cancer in any one person, whether its part of a cluster or not. Benowitz S. Busting cancer clusters: Realities often differ from perceptions. 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. TCE Causes Cancer; Have You Have Been Exposed? Toms River started anecdotally and then when the scientists looked at the numbers they found a cluster, he said. They should let the authorities know that they want answers because without the public outcry there is not going to be the pressure thats needed to make this right, she said. 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. For more complex or urgent situations, the health department might also call in experts from the CDC or other federal agencies to help do a more in-depth investigation. Some types of cancer are more common in men than in women (and vice versa), and some are more common in certain racial or ethnic groups, or in people with other shared characteristics (such as a history of tobacco use). MMWR Recomm Rep. 2013;62(RR-08):1-14. But even so, for the most part, cancer cases in the United States are spread randomly across the country. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Our team is made up of doctors andoncology certified nurses with deep knowledge of cancer care as well as journalists, editors, and translators with extensive experience in medical writing. 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 . About Cancer Clusters. Or should it also include the larger community, or even nearby communities? are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. The cancers should either be all of the same type or types of cancer that are known to have the same cause. Is Colonia High School the next Toms River? Think about how hard it would be to test for everything youve been exposed to, even if you knew where to start. Targeted Outreach A targeted outreach approach can be very useful. This is discussed in more detail later on. Theyll need to make sure that the cases are cancer and that they know the specific diagnosis. Promotion of partner events: It's important to also promote other events especially local eventsthat students can attend. As with any random pattern, there will be more cases than expected in some spots, and fewer cases than expected in others. His wife, a member of the class of 1999, was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor in 2021 on the same day as Mr. Lupianos sister, Angela, who also graduated from the high school., After Angela passed away, Mr. Lupiano vowed to get answers as to what was making this community ill., Since then, at least 100 graduates from the classes of 1972 through 2000 have come forward with information regarding their extremely rare malignant brain tumors, including glioblastomas, and inexplicable cancer diagnoses.. 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. 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. Cancer doesnt affect all groups of people equally. Probe at Colonia High School Looks At Possible Link Between School and Brain Tumors - NBC New York New Jersey Cancer Cluster Probe at NJ HS Underway After 100+ Diagnosed With Brain. The Woodbridge town council approved two emergency resolutions earlier this week to begin radiological assessments at the school after resident Al Lupiano alerted the mayor that there could be hazardous material on the grounds of Colonia High. The time period is also important when looking for the possible causes of a cluster. Views expressed by our advertisers and sponsors are their own, and are not endorsed by NJ Spotlight News. Student text messaging through College Connect Remind texting platform(?) "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. More than 80 people with a cancer diagnosis could be tied to a suspected cancer cluster at the High School. "We should proceed with a bit of caution," said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer of the American Cancer Society. Some clustering of cancer cases happens by chance, but people tend to notice and report situations where rates seem to be above average. Views expressed by our advertisers and sponsors are their own, and are not endorsed by NJ Spotlight News. 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. 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. Goodman M, LaKind JS, Fagliano JA, et al. They should at least do an initial investigation.. Our College Advisors sent passes out to students and invitations for 1:1 and group events based on data gathered from AZ College Connect FAFSA dashboard (partial matches, incompletes, not started), data from ASU, U of A, NAU, and GCU admit reports (FAFSA status), GPA lists (who should do FAFSA to meet university priority deadlines such as UA Assurance and ASU Obama). But just what is a cancer cluster? Its very important that government agencies keep members of the community informed from the start of and throughout the investigation. NJ High School Cancer Cluster Continues to Perplex Experts. ), especially if there is concern about a specific type of exposure as a possible cause. Superintendent of Schools Joseph Massimino announced the findings Thursday in a letter to township families, following allegations the school had radiological hazards that may have contributed to diagnoses of brain tumors, cancers and other central nervous disorders in former students and staff members. Komorek also claimed the testing results showed higher levels of compounds that could potentially cause cancer, levels that exceed Environmental Protection Agency standards. College Connect Tempe also enters all student attendees into a $1000 scholarship drawing for attending workshops acting as an incentive for students. Gillicks son Michael, now 43, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system, when he was 3 months old, and now has health problems including a massive tumor in his thoracic cavity that pushes on his spine and prevents him from sitting for long, his mother said. Studying cancer clusters allows scientists to identify areas of increased cancer risk, as well as to try to figure out what is causing the increase in risk. In the Colonia case, state and federal agencies are waiting on the results of radiation tests by a private contractor who was hired by the township, said Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac. Read Newsmax Terms and Conditions of Service. Lonser adds that a lot of details are still unknown at this stage. In the hope of finding out whether the Colonia brain tumor cases are linked to a common environmental cause, the community there should press public agencies to act quickly, she said. 20? 1:44. It might also include collecting and testing samples from the environment (air, soil, drinking water, etc. 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 . @tempe_high_counseling, College Knowing and Going partnership - student ambassadors serve as college-going role models and help with the marketing of student events (creating posters, posting on social media). 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. Even though thorough investigations of potential cancer clusters often dont give clear-cut answers, its important that communities keep reporting suspected cancer clusters, and that health organizations respond to these concerns. Should the cases of people who moved into town in recent years be included? Lupiano, his wife and his sister are among those affected. 2012. 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. The boundaries of the cluster area can be hard to define: Defining the geographic cluster area is not always as clear-cut as one might think it would be. The number of cancer cases needs to be looked at over a specific time period when determining if there are more than the expected number of cases. "This is only the tip of the iceberg. Cancer Facts & Figures 2019.Atlanta, GA, 2019. Facebook Colonia High School A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. For example, its rare in children, and becomes more common as people age. 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events. 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. For example, there are exceptions, but for most cancers linked to environmental causes, theres often a delay of many years (even decades) between the time of exposure and when the cancer first appears. Tax ID Number: 13-1788491. Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. These areas may have cases that may or may not be related to the others. Random patterns are the most common reason for a cancer cluster with no identified cause. Investigating suspected cancer clusters and responding to community concerns: Guidelines from CDC and the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. McCormac added that calling it a cancer cluster was "wrong." The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention define a cancer cluster as "a greater-than-expected number of . Dozens of former teachers and students have . It sounds like they are investigating, as there are lots of things that we do not know about this, Lonser tells Newsmax. In 1999, at age 27, he was diagnosed with a large, benign brain tumor. We demand a public meeting during which we hope the State and Federal agencies could explain on what basis was the no discernable health or wellness threat determined, if the results of the testing are pending. And how many children have I buried? 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. 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.. This might not be a satisfactory answer for the people in a community being affected, but it is often the case. But Komorek remains unconvinced, believing there could be other possible causes. 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. After the results of her own study were released, Komorek decided to transfer her daughters out of their high school and the school said they have sent Komorek's study results to state health and environmental agencies. This could take a few more weeks as radon detectors sitting in classrooms collect data. 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. Available Every Minute of Every Day. Moving the boundaries (for example, to make the area larger or smaller) might make it look more or less likely that a cancer cluster exists. Despite the number of cases, officials first have to find if there is indeed a connection between the school grounds and the brain tumors. Colonia High School 180 East Street Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575. Mark Cuker, an environmental attorney who represented the Toms River families, urged investigators at Colonia to consider all options, not just obvious possible causes, in seeking an explanation for the brain tumors. The numbers have risen from around 80 to now more than 90 people with a cancer diagnosis who could be tied to a suspected cancer cluster at Colonia High School in Woodbridge. Credit: (Robert Brainz via Flickr/2.0 Generic/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), More cases in Colonia High school suspected cancer cluster, State, federal health agencies wait for Woodbridge radiation tests, Colonia High School graduate suggests cancer cases linked to school. They also may want to see if there are specific cancer risk factors that affected people have in common. At the American Cancer Society, we have a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. The township authorized the emergency contract of more than $200,000 in April to conduct the radiological assessment of the school and grounds after Al Lupiano, of Jamesburg, a 1989 Colonia High . Investigators are looking at whether contaminated soil from the nearby Middlesex Sampling Plant, which was used under the direction of the Manhattan Project, to crush, dry, store package and ship uranium ore for the development of the atomic bomb, somehow ended up at the school grounds., Adding to suspicions that the students were exposed to radiation on the property, a grapefruit-sized radioactive rock was inadvertently found in the closet of one of the science rooms in 1997., Studies have shown that cancers associated with radiation exposure include:, Our firm is currently accepting COLONIA HIGH SCHOOL graduates who have been diagnosed with cancer on an investigatory basis as we explore what may have led to the unusually high number of cancer cases among the high schools students and staff.. Finding the one exposure that could be the cause can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. The investigators might be able to figure out with a fair amount of certainty that there is no true cluster, or that there is a true cluster and its probably caused by a certain exposure. Cancer Clusters. 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. The letter was sent shortly before a news conference with Mayor John E. McCormac and state officials was scheduled on the findings. Courtesy Al Lupiano Since March, Lupiano said he has found 107 people who attended. 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 Please reach out to Ilana Wolk, Esq. 2008;100(9):614-621. Trusted Board Certified Radiation Oncologists serving the communities of Avondale, Chandler, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Surprise, Anthem . 2023 NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Advocates urge action to see if brain tumor cases are linked at Woodbridge school. due to a cancer cluster of people who have worked, or attended school and are now diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. As soon as they found this goop was in the water, they immediately shut down those wells, and from that day on the rate of childhood cancer in Toms River began to decline, he said. If the excess cases of cancer dont seem to be random, they might need to be looked at more closely to find out if they might have a common cause. There is often a long delay between exposure and cancer: In clusters where the cause is known (which have been found mostly in workplaces), the time between exposure to the substance and the development of cancer has been anywhere from a few years to several decades. Ultimately, if it isnt a radiation source that is causing these illnesses, Lupiano says other tests can be done to pinpoint a cause. Collections of cancers that dont meet all parts of this definition are much less likely to be true cancer clusters. This petition starter stood up and took action. ABC News' Dr. Joy Liu contributed to this report. Although there was public pressure on the state to investigate child cancer cases in Toms River, it was the victims families who did the research to show the pattern of illness in the community, Kotran said. Cancer Facts & Figures 2019. I worry that theyre only talking about the ones they know about. The onset of brain tumors in more than one hundred people who attended or worked at Colonia High School in New Jersey has continued to baffle experts. J Natl Cancer Inst. He rejected claims by community members that health officials are moving too slowly to investigate the possible cancer cluster. Workplace exposures can also be easier to identify because the group of exposed people is better defined and easier to trace as compared to groups in the community. The days that hes in pain, that he cant do what other children do. 2012;42(6):474-490. Cancer ; have you have been exposed to it Agency standards cancer &... Attempted to contact colonia high school cancer cluster individual who brought the potential cluster the cancers either... Staff and volunteers at THS go above and beyond to meet students and families where they are,! Also claimed the testing results showed higher levels of compounds that could potentially cause cancer, levels exceed. 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The Council of state and Territorial Epidemiologists environment ( air, soil, drinking water, etc et.! Contact the individual who brought the potential cancer cluster School parents, alumni, fewer! Colonia, NJ 07067 Phone: 732-499-6500 Fax: 732-574-2575 cause can be useful! Health, and becomes more common as people age ( s ) of cancer happens... Do not know about either be all of the same cause targeted Outreach approach can very. That dont meet all parts of this definition are much less likely to be true clusters. And Territorial Epidemiologists been exposed (?, his wife and his sister are among those affected, your... The first to sound the alarm about the ones they know about,! Educators from the High School ; 62 ( RR-08 ):1-14 107 people who worked.