Stanmyre: Right now, the number this week is up to 117 people who have been found to have a primary brain tumor of some sorts, according to data from Al Lupiano, who is the Colonia graduate who. ", In an earlier update, Lupiano said many of those who reached out to him about their brain tumor or cancer cases "are former CHS teachers and staff members who didnt live in Colonia, they just worked in the school. "I'm not particularly concerned because it hasn't happened in quite some time. According to the National Cancer Institute, "cases of cancer can appear to cluster even when there is no connection among them." for 7-year-old's rare brain cancer. However, Lupiano is still worried about his teenage nieces attending the school. (Al Lupiano). All rights reserved. Lupiano is an environmental scientist who tested ground samples for toxins over the course of his career and suggested that the school's grounds could be contaminated, according to NJ Spotlight News. "Both parents of children in school and current teachers and staff deserve answers. By April 11, he had heard from more than 100 former Colonia High School attendees who had been diagnosed with rare tumors and cancers. The four-year high school has more than 1,300 students. I dont think this is the end of the story. Lupiano said his teamdealt withanti-terrorism work, radioactive materials, and chemical and biological agents. He says if there is something going on, he worries about all of the people that would be impacted. 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According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, glioblastoma has an incidence of3.21 per 100,000. Dating back decades, newly detailed reports of more than 100 cases of brain tumors among former students and staff at Colonia High School in Woodbridge have raised obvious concerns. But how will officials figure out if a true cancer cluster exists or if the cases are simply a coincidence? Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Whittington a board-certified MD in California claimed several of the brain tumors developed by ex-Colonia High staff and students are glioblastoma multiforme an aggressive cancer which spreads to brain tissue. First published on April 25, 2022 / 10:26 AM. 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. "Also, records later revealed that in 1948, some radioactively contaminated materials had been trucked from the plant to the Middlesex Municipal Landfill (MML), one-half mile away. "When I looked at the email and I saw the data I just dropped. A man investigating his former high school in New Jersey says he has counted 115 people who attended or worked there have had a rare brain tumor. Working that out takes time, Platz said. But public health experts are cautioning against deeming the tumor cases a cancer cluster just yet. 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. For an interactive map version. But in 2021, his wife and sister, also. 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. Rather than looking at all central nervous system cancers over 30 years, investigators will likely look at rates of specific types of brain tumors and how long after high school these tumors developed, she said. Very few achieve the label, but one of them is Toms River, where the rate of childhood cancers surged in the 1990s after the towns drinking water was contaminated with toxic chemicals from two waste dumps. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, . Today, Colonia enrolls approximately 1,300 students, with many said to be anxious about the possible cancer cluster. While benign, treatment can leave victims with hearing loss, trouble balancing, and several other serious symptoms, according to the Mayo Clinic. But to date we dont have any environmental factors that are known to cause brain tumors.. According to the Mayo Clinic, an Acoustic Neuroma is a slow-growing tumor that is found on the primary nerve that . It's due to concerns tied to graduates or staff members with brain tumors. In 1999, when he was just 27, Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor for someone his age called Acoustic Neuroma (AN). WOODBRIDGE, NJ Nearly 2,000 people have signed a petition demanding a more robust investigation from the state of New Jersey and the federal government regarding a possible, unconfirmed cancer. The states Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette backed up the mayors declaration the school was safe. Since . DeCillis passed away at the age of 44 from a rare form of brain cancer. More than 100 former Colonia High School students and staff over a 30-year period have been diagnosed with cancer and local parents say the information they're getting on the investigation. 4/24 UPDATE: The radiological team charged with looking for both radiation and radon has concluded. If no link is found with the high school specifically, Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac, said other potential points of connection in the township will be explored, according to NBC Today. Last month, he started a Facebook group asking locals whether they knew of any other people associated with the school who had been stricken by similar diagnoses. All are awaiting results from the radiation testing at the school before deciding how to get involved and proceed with the investigation. Lupiano also suggested a potential link between Colonia High School and a Middlesex, New Jersey, sampling plant in his interview with NJ Spotlight. He, his wife and sister were among those who were diagnosed with brain tumors. A former Woodbridge man has identified 84 Colonia High School alumni and former staffers with rare brain tumors and wants health officials to investigate. "This is only the tip of the iceberg. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Last year, his wife who also attended Colonia was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor. According to agency estimates, about 21,000 people die each year from radon-related lung cancer. 55, for example, died from glioblastoma, a malignant brain tumor, in 2016 after graduating in 1981. Reports claim that more than 60 former students and staff of Colonia High School have been diagnosed with a rare brain tumor called . "It's too important. 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. 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. 6 foods making your hay fever worse, according to a dietit King Charles to evict Harry and Meghan from Frogmore Cottage and give to Andrew, 'Elvis' star Austin Butler was rushed to ER after 'body just started shutting down', Drug-resistant stomach bug spreading across US: 'Serious public health alert', NY teacher forced 5th-grade girl to use male pronouns causing suicidal thoughts: suit, Woke Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot loses re-election bid as city battles crime epidemic, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry have first night out since bombshell Spare released, Jordyn Woods supports Selena Gomez amid singers feud with Kylie Jenner, Hailey Bieber, RHONJ recap: Jennifer Aydin mocks Rachel Fudas terrible nose job, Savannah Guthrie Rushed Out Of Today After Testing Positive For COVID-19 During Live Broadcast, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry have first night out since bombshell 'Spare' released. For anothertwo decades, he held similar jobs withbig companies including Lockheed Martin. 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. His wife Michelle graduated in 1991. He's identifiedat least 65 people, including graduates and former staff who walked the halls of CHS from 1975 to 1995. But some parents didnt seem convinced, according to NJ.com. We do not believe that there is cause for any further testing, he said. Immediately I knew exactly what I was looking at. Al Lupiano is a Colonia High School graduate and environmental scientist who was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor. The cause hasn't been discovered yet, but some researchers suspect . Immediate action from our State and Federal agencies is warranted," Lupiano said. Lupiano told NJ Spotlight News that the school is located less than 12 miles from the Middlesex Sampling Plant a site that was used, under the direction of theManhattan Project, to crush, dry, store, package and ship uranium ore for the development of the atomic bomb. Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). "The rates are actually consistent in New Jersey with the United States," McGreevy said. The vast majority of those who have developed brain tumors graduated between 1975 and 2000, although outliers have come as recently as a 2014 graduate, according to the Star-Ledger. Mitesh Kapadia moved right next to Colonia High just a few years ago. But Lupiano was not initially sure that the high school was a link to the similar yet rare brain tumor cases until he made a request on Facebook for others who attended Colonia to reach out to him personally. 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. Were all concerned, and we all want to get to the bottom of this. Its overwhelming. That's when Lupiano started looking into the connection. NY 10036. He accused the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry of being unresponsive to his calls for a formal probe. And over the last 18 years, Lupiano has worked forMarine Spill Response Corp. According to United StatesEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA), radon is a naturally-occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. Exterior shots of Colonia High School in Colonia, NJ on Thursday, April 7, 2022. Lupiano said he has had meetings with county, state and federal agencies, which he said in a March 25 post "are going well.". Laumbach argued that thousands of suspected cancer clusters throughout the country dont meet federal government standards for that designation even if they are investigated by public health experts. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. The program will take real-time measurements of radiation inside and outside the building, the town said. 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. / CBS New York. Know What It Is, Nagaland Minister Pokes Fun At G20 Flower Pots Theft Accused, This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics. This is definitely not normal," the mayor further said in the statement. A look back: Al Lupiano was diagnosed with acoustic neuroma, a . 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. Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting. Last summer, Lupiano's wife and now-deceased sister were diagnosed with rare brain tumors on the same day. His wife, Michelle, who also attended Colonia high, got a benign diagnosis as well, though the two came 20 years apart. I am being told Lupiano, who graduated from the school in 1989, himself was diagnosed 20 years ago and said he still suffers lingering issues, CBS New York reports. Published on Apr 08, 2022 Al Lupiano and his wife, Michele, at their home in Jamesburg,. The viral TikTok video discussing the purported cancer cluster was posted Wednesday by popular personality Dr. Joe Whittington. "For the most part I'm pretty good today," Lupiano said. And that the children of this school, the faculty of this school and the parents and caregivers of these children and the people in and around this community they can have confidence, they can have confidence that this is a safe place.. "I don't know what the cause is," Lupiano said. More: 'It can't be a coincidence': Colonia High School community probes mysterious cancer cases. "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?" Many more came forward after the posting, and by Thursday, the number had grown to 103, Lupiano told NJ Spotlight News. The Middlesex Sampling Plant, which has since closed, is located on 9.6 acres, about a 30-minute driving from Colonia. "I hope the results come back with absolutely nothing," he said. You can also see how much the average bill changed from 2020. Outdoors, radon disperses rapidly and, generally, is not a health issue. But doubts that the tumor cases represent a cancer cluster are unwarranted, said Lupiano, who predicted strong protests in the Woodbridge community if state and federal authorities dont start a formal investigation soon. Her work has appeared in Scientific American, Wired UK, Popular Science and Youth Today, among others. 94 people from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey are part of a cancer cluster of still unknown origin. The authorities will be conducting radiological assessments across the school's 28-acre campus, including the testing of indoor air samples for radon. According to MyCentralJersey.com, the issue stems from legal concerns over the potential risk of offering a medical procedure with which municipal officials have no experience. Just dropped concerns tied to graduates or staff members with brain tumors wants... 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