The number of people is so small that we don't know how many cancers you'd expect , she said. Two weeks from now, if we dont hear anything from the federal agencies, theres going to be a lot of yelling and screaming, and the parents are going to run out of patience, he said. A Colonia High School alum said he found 107 people with brain tumors who went to or worked at the school. Both his wife and sister were assigned the same doctor for treatment. Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. "We continue receiving lip service, that we're here to help, but when we look around, they are nowhere to be found.". Advertisement. 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. 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. Without analyzing the data herself, Platz said shes not able to estimate how many of the 15,000 people who have gone through Colonia High in the past 30 years would need to have developed cancer for it to be considered a cluster. The vast majority dont have a cause that explains the cluster, said Laumbach, who is leading a federal study into the health effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), so-called forever chemicals, among 1,300 residents of Paulsboro in Gloucester County. Angela M. DeCillis, a Colonia High School graduate, Class of '95. "They'll have the means to do air sampling, water sampling and soil sampling," Lupiano told New Jersey 101.5. 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. Last month, McCormac and Superintendent of Schools Joseph Massimino became aware of health-related concerns reported on social media about a potential connection between Colonia High School and graduates who developed brain tumors. "I'm not particularly concerned because it hasn't happened in quite some time. Ultimately, if it isnt a radiation source that is causing these illnesses, Lupiano says other tests can be done to pinpoint a cause. Schools Brain Tumor Link To Colonia High School 'Credible,' Town's Mayor Says A scientist's theory that a contaminant at the Woodbridge school is linked to 65 rare brain tumors is being taken . ", Rick Rickman is the news assistant at New Jersey 101.5. Its not contaminated water. While not technically cancer, these brain tumors can grow and become life-threatening if left untreated. But to date we dont have any environmental factors that are known to cause brain tumors.. My wife had a 30-millimeter acoustic neuroma," Lupiano said. McCormac and Lupiano are waiting to hear back from the EPA. Donavyn was a Fulbright Fellow to Denmark where she studiedmolecular nutrition and food policy. Print |. 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. Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting. His sister Angela Decillis. In a mysterious story, a man from New Jersey named Al Lupiano found out that 100 people with uncommon cancers were linked to Woodbridge Township School District, Colonia High School. Lupiano began counting how many people associated with the town were effected. Colonia High School Officials conduct a radiological survey on the school's baseball field. 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. Researchers at Rice University are hoping to begin human clinical trials on a cancer treatment that fights the disease right at the site of the tumor. He's identifiedat least 65 people, including graduates and former staff who walked the halls of CHS from 1975 to 1995. A subsequent TikTok video discussing the medical mystery has also racked up more than 2.2 million viral views in just 24 hours. Glioblastoma is an aggressive type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord, according to the Mayo Clinic. An MRI revealed Michele had a 30-millimeter acoustic neuroma, another raretype of brain tumor that develops on the nerves leading to the inner ear. The department declined to comment for this story. 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. 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. The city of Woodbridge says it has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for testing at a school that graduated roughly 15,000 people over the last 30 years. If it's an ongoing issue, we may have to go through this all over again in 10 to 20 years. 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. / CBS News. Because cancer clusters are often suspected in very small subpopulations like neighborhoods, apartment buildings or homes on the same side of the street they can be very difficult to establish, Platz said. The question is why? Notably, brain cancer is rarer than other cancers. Immediate action from our State and Federal agencies is warranted," Lupiano said. While benign, treatment can leave victims with hearing loss, trouble balancing, and several other serious symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. Its way too early to call it a cancer cluster, said Dr. Joseph Landolfi, chief medical officer at JFK Medical Center in Edison, and its director of neuro-oncology. The Middlesex Sampling Plant, which has since closed, is located on 9.6 acres, about a 30-minute driving from Colonia. However, Lupiano is still worried about his teenage nieces attending the school. Over 100 former students and staff from a New Jersey high school have been diagnosed with brain tumors. Its not something in soil. Lupiano and McCormac have spoken to officials with the state Department of Health and thefederalAgency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. 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 1999, at age 27, he was diagnosed with a large, benign brain tumor called an acoustic neuroma. PROMISING CANCER VACCINE IN THE WORKS UTILIZING SIMILAR MRNA TECHNOLOGY THAT COMBATS COVID: DUKE RESEARCHERS. 'I will not rest until I . Its not something done to us due to bad habits.. But the growing number of victims both alive and dead on the list dont constitute the evidence that public health experts need to determine that Colonia is a cancer cluster, said Dr. Last year, his wife who also attended Colonia was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. (For example, smoking increases a person's risk of lung cancer.). / CBS New York. Twentyyears earlier, he was also diagnosed with an aggressive 36-millimeter acoustic neuroma. 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. This is definitely not normal.. They will remain in place for 14 days before being sent to a lab for analysis. Market data provided by Factset. . "We can get in there today and take air, water and soil samples and have results back the same day," Lupiano said. That's when Lupiano started looking into the connection. 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. McCormack said the town wants local and federal involvement in the investigation. Working that out takes time, Platz said. There could be a real problem here, and our residents deserve to know if there are any dangers, Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac said in a statement. 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. But he made a promise to his late sister that he would find out. ", NEWS: Piscataway man convicted of exploiting daughters college peers after moving into dorm. "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. And he said New Jerseys Department of Health has been similarly noncommittal. It can seem connected, when in reality, cancer is quite common and people are simply noticing this fact. Age, exposure to radiation and family history are all risk factors. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. After seeing a social media post from Lupiano earlier this month, concerned residents reached out to Mayor John McCormac. 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. "I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15," he told CBS News York. How will officials determine if a true cancer cluster exists? He's now among the many calling on the town, state and federal government to do more. The analysis was conducted after dozens of former high school students and staff over decades were diagnosed with cancers. The plant then "decontaminated to the standards in effect at the time," though "overlooked during decontamination were traces of radioactive materials that had been carried offsite over the years by wind and rain to yards of neighboring homes," the USACE New York Division said on its website. Frequently, in hazmat, you never find it in the first shot," Lupiano said. The health department also looked at brain cancer rates for Colonia High School and compared them to rates of brain cancer throughout New Jersey and the United States. Legal Statement. So far, more than 2,000 people have signed a Change.org petition demanding, in part, students return to remote learning. It's due to concerns tied to graduates or staff members with brain tumors. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, Woodbridge Mayor John McCormack told the outlet that his office initiated conversations with the Woodbridge Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Environmental Protection and the Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry about opening investigations into potential radiation exposure stemming from the high school's campus. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, "This approach of calculating the expected number was done to provide context to . His wife, Michelle, who also attended Colonia high, got a benign diagnosis as well, though the two came 20 years apart. Immediately I knew exactly what I was looking at. Market data provided by Factset. Find your municipality in this alphabetical list to see how its average property tax bill for 2021 compares to others. Al Lupiano graduated from the Middlesex County school in 1989. "We got the state and federal agencies involved, and we're starting some testing of the grounds and the air this weekend," McCormac said. 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. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world. This is only one of many, many tests that can be performed. "The sooner we can get them to listen to us, the sooner we can do something.". Im doing this not only for my wife, my sister my nieces are currently in the school but this deserves further understanding. Since . Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. 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