Fortunately one of the survivors is an environmental scientist Al Lupiano, who is bringing attention to this and he is . What I find alarming is theres truly only one environmental link to primary brain tumors, and thats ionizing radiation, he declared. But some parents didnt seem convinced, according to NJ.com. And in March 2022, a few weeks after his sister's death due to her malignant tumor, Lupiano posted his findings to Facebook in search of more patients. Market data provided by Factset. I will uncover the truth.. They will remain in place for 14 days before being sent to a lab for analysis. More than 100 people who graduated from Colonia High School have developed brain cancer. Immediately I knew exactly what I was looking at. 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. After seeing a social media post from Lupiano earlier this month, concerned residents reached out to Mayor John McCormac. Lupiano's familiarity comes from his own experience. The number of people is so small that we don't know how many cancers you'd expect , she said. 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. Woodbridge Mayor John McCormick told CBS New York the school, which was built in 1967, was built on "virgin land" in the woods. Lupiano's sister, however, another Colonia alumnus, recently died from brain cancer -- and MyCentralJersey.com reports brother Al promised her before she died that he'd find out why the tumors were occurring in the specific community. . He has continued to update followers on social media and on Thursday, said the list stood at 115 people who had either malignant or benign tumors. I still dont know what Im going to do with my kids, Komorek told NJ.com. Among the others diagnosed with brain cancer was Lupianos younger sister, who passed away from the disease in February at the age of 44. LaTourette said during the press conference every possible link to cancer was tested. And it's not just the school that could be at risk. Shehad been dealing with hearing loss for several years. It "was an entry point for African uranium ores known as pitchblende" 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. 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. "This is terrific news for the current students of Colonia High School and their parents who worried about their safety, along with current staff members. Make no mistake when the department believes that people are at risk we act and immediately so, he told media members. The disturbing development came to the fore after one of the former students Al Lupiano - a cancer survivor - decided to untangle the mystery. "The Departments stand ready to assist Woodbridge in reviewing any environmental data it collects to determine appropriate next steps," the statement reads. You can reach him at richard.rickman@townsquaremedia.com. That's when Lupiano started looking into the connection. It is now one of the hottest topics to be discussed on TikTok. 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. 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. 94 people from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey are part of a cancer cluster of still unknown origin. But as the study continues, a number of people in the community are looking for some kind of reassurance. It is possible that soil from the plant had been trucked to Colonia High School during its construction in 1967, NJ Spotlight reported. Al Lupiano is a Colonia High School graduate and environmental scientist who was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor. Thats 100 people with their life forever changed. Almost 100 people from the very same New Jersey high school have all developed brain tumors. NJ high school linked to mystery cancer cases. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. According to Fox News, there have been instances of both malignant and benign brain tumors being discovered in former Colonia High School attendees. While benign, treatment can leave victims with hearing loss, trouble balancing, and several other serious symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. Despite the number of possible cases, officials say they must first determine if there is any scientific evidentiary connection between the school grounds and the brain tumors. Both his wife and sister were assigned the same doctor for treatment. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. Over 122 people connected to Colonia High School were found to have brain tumors. We have no records 55 years ago.". Advertisement. Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? I pray we find answers(as of 18:00 4/11, the list stands at 102 individuals). Email tips toaudrey.conklin@fox.com or on Twitter at @audpants. More: 'It can't be a coincidence': Colonia High School community probes mysterious cancer cases. The program will take real-time measurements of radiation inside and outside the building, the town said. "Her four children are potentially being exposed to the same thing that killed their mother. "Two hours later, we received information that my wife also had a primary brain tumor," Lupiano said. Please enter valid email address to continue. Public health experts will look at the rate of brain cancer cases and investigate potential causes. Gov. "With that in mind, and after many weeks of work, I was able to negotiate an agreement with BTF to provide this service completely FREE of charge.". First published on May 4, 2022 / 10:52 PM. Notably, brain cancer is rarer than other cancers. "For the most part I'm pretty good today," Lupiano said. How will officials determine if a true cancer cluster exists? Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist, began. Jon Hurdle, a freelance writer who regularly reports on water and other environmental issues, is part of the NJ Spotlight COVID-19 reporting team. 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. Brain cancer is rare, being detected in about one in 15,000 . 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. America today woke up to the news that brain cancer has been detected in more than 100 former students at a New Jersey high school. Earlier this year, Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist and Colonia High School graduate, discovered more than 115 people who spent time at the school had a rare brain tumor. Mystery as 100 people associated with . 2021 DEADLIEST YEAR IN US HISTORY DUE TO COVID-19, DRUG OVERDOSES. Since starting his research, Lupiano said that number has increased to about 90 people, including about 10 who were school staff members, some who worked in the cafeteria and others from the athletic department. NEW JERSEY - A New Jersey man has uncovered a medical mystery apparently linking more than 100. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. "It seems like in a little over a 20-year period to have 65 people on a list is somewhat alarming, it's quite alarming," said the mayor, who lives blocks away from Colonia High School, but added the link only appears to pertain to people who attended or worked at the high school. The results from the environmental study that was conducted at a New Jersey high school campus enveloped in a brain tumor cluster mystery among graduates and workers at the school revealed no traces of radioactivity were found in the school. Exterior shots of Colonia High School in Colonia, NJ on Thursday, April 7, 2022. First published on April 25, 2022 / 10:26 AM. A majority of former students of Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a rare brain tumour. "The high school was the first thing to be there, so there was probably nothing in the ground at that time," he said. Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in . The environmental engineering firm T+M Associates was. At the end of the study we are either going to know if there is a problem linked to radiation or not, he said. One former student at Colonia High School who developed a 'rare' brain tumor over 20 years ago and survived having cancer is looking to uncover the cause. Print |. Unlike lab experiments, which can be tightly controlled, epidemiology and public health studies are often based on observations; as such, the answers can be incomplete or unsatisfying, Platz said. Landolfi and others said theres not enough evidence to support fears that the illnesses were caused by exposure to high levels of radiation, with one theory that the cause may have been a rock containing uranium used in a science lab. "It's too important. An investigation into a possible brain cancer cluster found no evidence a New Jersey school was the cause of tumors diagnosed in former students, officials declared Thursday. In a post Saturday, Lupiano said a radiological team that was looking for radiation and radon concluded their search. In 1999 when Lupiano was 27, he too was diagnosed with a large acoustic neuroma on the left side of his brain. COLONIA, N.J. -- There is a growing push to go back to remote learning at one New Jersey high school, but not because of COVID fears. 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