Something is wrong here, he said. "We and our children deserve more! According to the television station, the sisters graduated from Colonia High School. The perception of a cluster in a community may be as important as, or more important than, an actual cluster, the C.D.C. 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. or redistributed. Why would they include classes as recent as 2021 when we know many cancers take decades or longer to develop? There's lots and lots of people calling me, saying, 'Look, I didn't go to the high school, but I live a mile away, and we call our block cancer alley. There never was a cancer cluster, Mr. McCormac said in June. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School . The Woodbridge School District superintendent at the time then added: Radioactivity is ubiquitous in the environment. Im working on a big piece for Vice News which will air on their network in a week or two, and the Star Ledger is running a multipage story which should drop this Sunday. "I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15," Lupiano said. When faced with terminal disease, people often look for an overarching explanation as a way to cope with an unbearable reality. So that's why I focused on cancerous or malignant and benign because they're triggered by the same thing, and we have really solid statistics to say all. Its alarming because there are just so many people with a tumor malignant or benign, and its serious. Al Lupiano, speaking to CBS2, said the rare brain tumors were discovered in people who attended Colonia High School. These tumors usually grow at 1 mm per yearAt 3.6 cm, my AN tumor appeared to have grown at an unprecedented rate (I had an MRI of the neck and brain a few years earlier for an unrelated issue and the tumor was not present). The draft guidelines promote listening skills and empathy on the part of state and local health department representatives, the sharing of information upon which decisions are made, and developing communication plans in advance of concerns being raised to build trust and credibility, said Dr. Breysse. A cancer survivor is vowing to untangle the twisted mystery of why almost 100 people associated with a New Jersey high school have developed "extremely" rare malignant brain tumours. Nearly 100 Former Students and Staff From Colonia High School Develop Brain Tumors Follow Joe on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Keep the information coming! The natural world can also pose a threat via volcanic ash or toxin-spewing fungi. Both sisters graduated from Colonia High School, just like Al Lupiano in 1989, his wife Michelle in 1991, and his sister, Angela Decillis in 1995. If you are or know of a friend, family member, or teacher that was diagnosed with a PRIMARY brain tumor, please contact me. So, if not localized exposure, and not something we inhaled or drank, what could be the link? 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 doesnt just go away because the test says all clear.. Alumni links 65 rare brain tumor cases to NJ high school, investigation launched. The sizes of neighborhood clusters are often too small to yield statistically significant results. An investigation has . "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," the petition says in seeking the involvement of more state and federal agencies. Please, look at this. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. Caitlyn Shelton. We have to accept the results.. After Angela died in February, at the age of 44, Mr. Lupiano says, he started his outreach in earnest, fueled by a promise to his sister to seek an explanation. MONROE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) Search warrants unsealed Tuesday revealed more about what police were looking for, and what . 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. With no state regulations for PCBs in schools, she suggested Vermont state guidelines be followed for indoor air testing because they are more conservative than federal Environmental Protection Agency guidelines. Cancer Cluster Probe at NJ HS Underway After 100+ Diagnosed With Brain Tumors, What Is Aphasia? 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 . He was born in . While the death rate from cancer is dropping, thanks to improving treatments and early detection, the total number of cancer cases in the United States is expected to rise by 50 percent compared with 2015 cases, in large part because of aging populations. We need an investigation! While there is no known direct correlation between this incident and the cluster of brain tumors that has emerged from former students and staff, it is worth noting the history of that area that could have potentially led to both incidents. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School graduate is on a mission to answer that question after discovering more than 80 fe. Al Lupiano, a former Colonia High School student, Pop-punk band New Found Glory playing rare performance near NJ, The cast of Home Improvement what they look like now, Bristol Palin on the mend after 9th breast augmentation, There is now a 24-hour Rocky TV channel, Gisele Bundchens post-Tom Brady magazine cover fuels satanic panic, These Speciale meatballs named best balls in New Jersey, Reward yourself! (Google Maps), "Our agencies are aware of the concerns raised by local residents, particularly as they relate to Colonia High School, and are partnering with Mayor McCormac and Woodbridge Township to better understand the issue and determine whether any relevant environmental exposure concerns are present at the site," the DOH and DEP said in a joint statement. And experts have been able to identify a clear cause in only a tiny percentage of those. Al Lupiano . "The Departments stand ready to assist Woodbridge in reviewing any environmental data it collects to determine appropriate next steps. In addition the Corps disposed of 33,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil contained within the (MML) pile. They asked us to do this, and we did it. 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. Something is wrong here, he said. My list currently stands at 90 cases. Parents like Dawn Genoni are willing to wait for those results -- at least at the time Genoni spoke to News 4 last month. It started in 1999 when Mr. Lupiano, then 27, was diagnosed with a noncancerous one. 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. It was an entry point for uranium ores 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. A cluster of brain tumors and cancer in people associated with a single New Jersey high school is causing concern. I have requested a discussion with the Department of Health, and if need be, we can involve the Federal agencies. This is only one of many, many tests that can be performed. Further explanation of what occurred at that high school over these decades of people being in the building," Lupiano said. Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. 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 . "[A]t least pick up the phone and say, Hey Al, what do you see? And I would be happy here's my list. 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. PROMISING CANCER VACCINE IN THE WORKS UTILIZING SIMILAR MRNA TECHNOLOGY THAT COMBATS COVID: DUKE RESEARCHERS. "They kind of understand," Komorek said, adding her children have to start over with new classes, teachers and schoolmates. Whether it be for a sporting event, concert, or other popular event, there's a good chance you'll be making your way to the Newark arena dubbed 'The Rock' at some point in the near future. Officials also reviewed local data on naturally occurring radioactive deposits and followed up on reports of a radioactive rock discovered in a science classroom in 1997. Why? 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. "My thoughts are we should look into it, but it's what you would expect if you texted caulking from a building built in the 1960s. Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare and abnormally large brain tumour Acoustic Neuroma (AN) in 1999 when he was just 27 years old. The high school was evacuated and a HAZMAT team secured the rock in a lead-lined box. 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 sister, a Colonia High School grad, died with a malignant brain tumor in February and both he and his wife, who also is a Colonia High School grad, developed brain tumors. That, the "concerned Colonia High School parents, alumni, and township members" petitioning on behalf of their school community say, isn't acceptable. Colonia High School is located in Colonia, New Jersey. Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? V Th Su High School. 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. Cancer-Causing Toxins Found in New Tests at NJ School, Mom Says, Raising Concerns. Others told NJ.com they want a remote learning option until the investigation is complete. WOODBRIDGE - Results are expected in a few weeks from recent soil and air testing at Colonia High School, following last month's finding of toxic chemicals linked to cancer and pesticides . 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. This is 18 hours a day. 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. 100 stories of shock and disbelief with the diagnosis. "I wasn't happy and I knew that they didn't do enough sampling, didn't test soil, groundwater tests for PCBs," Komorek said. His . Lupiano and his wife, also is a Colonia High School grad, also developed brain tumors. About one in three people will develop cancer over a lifetime, and one in five will die from it. A nationwide constellation of state cancer databases was put in place in 1992, but these cancer registries often fail to account for changes in residency. So, if you wish to help, please help me get the word out. Before being devastated by a hurricane in 1960, Cliffwood Beach, NJ was a hot vacation spot that drew comparisons to Brooklyn's Coney Island. T+M Associates, an environmental engineering firm, was asked to investigate a link between the school and brain cancer last month. Ms. Renault is a health and science journalist. "One hundred out of 15,000 have brain cancer -- sure sounds like something we should be concerned about," Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac has said. I need your help Facebook. With confirmed cases now at 61 we have an incidence of 61 out of approximately 10,000 individuals. NEW JERSEY - A New Jersey man has uncovered a medical mystery apparently linking more than 100 people . This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, More than 200 people have signed an online petition demanding a public meeting with state officials in New Jersey and federal authorities over concerns about a medical mystery at a high school following dozens of diagnoses of brain tumors. ", 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. McCormac said the investigation found "no cause and effect relationship between those illnesses and the building or grounds at Colonia High School." Kate McGreevy, an epidemiologist from the New Jersey Department of . 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. Marion Renault is a health and science journalist. 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 . So, why am I asking for help? The brain tumor cases, appearing over a thirty-year period, are a significant medical mystery that has caused alarm for experts. 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. Dr. Marc Siegel discusses brain tumors that emerged among former Colonia High School students on 'Tucker Carlson Tonight.'. His sister Angela Decillis graduated . Lupiano has been posting lengthy updates to his Facebook page: 4/11 UPDATE: 100as of midnight Sunday 4/10, I recorded the 100th case of someone having a primary brain tumor. We did exactly what they wanted.. 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 . My sister and siblings attended Lynn Crest, Colonia Middle, and Colonia High School. As first reported on New Jersey 101.5, Al Lupiano, a former Colonia High School student, was the one responsiblefor linking the people together. Why Al Lupiano raised alarm over Colonia HS cancer links, Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? On April 10, Mr. Lupiano's list of former students and staff members with primary brain tumors hit 100 names. On the same day, his sister, Angela, learned she had a fast-growing malignant tumor, also on the left side of her brain. Gov. Earlier this year, officials claimed that penetrating radar tests on the grounds of Colonia High School concluded . Since posting this a few days ago, the current number of confirmed (as of 1900 hours, 3/14) has now grown to 61 individuals. 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 . (two newly discovered cases are pending further investigation). Very often the first time public health officials learn about a potential community health threat, said Dr. Morello-Frosch, is through community members themselves.. They may seek answers where there are not any or where they are impossible to dredge out. I don't get that," he said. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection building. Lupiano, his wife . Whatever the city decides to do, Komorek said she hopes it goes beyond the tests they already performed. 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