First published on May 4, 2022 / 10:52 PM. ", Rick Rickman is the news assistant at New Jersey 101.5. The environmental engineering firm T+M Associates was. You can also see how much the average bill changed from 2020. The last case was a while ago, like 2000," Kapadia said. In the United States, the rate of new cases of brain cancer or other nervous system cancer is 6.3 cases per 100,000 people per year, according to the National Institutes of Health. #braincancer #glioblastoma #braintumor #radiation #medicalmystery #doctor. 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 tumors. "The rates are actually consistent in New Jersey with the United States," McGreevy said. for 7-year-old's rare brain cancer. Platz expects that public health officials will look for specific overlaps in timing and tumor type. also a graduate of the high school, died recently from brain cancer. "It's too important. Lupiano says he has a solution, that he's negotiated with the Manhattan-based Brain Tumor Foundation to provide free MRI brain screenings to anyone who may want one. Ninety-four former staff members and students from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey, have developed an "extremely" rare form of malignant brain tumor, leading local officials to approve an emergency probe of the school Tuesday. His illness was diagnosed in 1999; hers in 2001. Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, There is one well documented cause of brain tumors radiation exposure," he continued. Last summer, Lupiano's wife and now-deceased sister were diagnosed with rare brain tumors on the same day. The mayorsays only the experts are qualifiedto make an actionable connection between the cases and CHS. Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story. 100 PEOPLE WITH RARE TUMORS WHO ATTENDED SAME NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL DEMAND ANSWERS The 110 people that Lupiano has counted on his list of former Colonia High School graduates have been. Donavyn Coffey is a Kentucky-based health and environment journalist reporting on healthcare, food systems and anything you can CRISPR. Working that out takes time, Platz said. Published on Apr 08, 2022 Al Lupiano and his wife, Michele, at their home in Jamesburg,. . (Al Lupiano). McCormac has also reached out toU.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J 6th District. More: 'It can't be a coincidence': Colonia High School community probes mysterious cancer cases. or redistributed. Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist, began investigating Colonia High School in Woodbridge when he realized several people who attended the school had rare tumors just like he had. 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. 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. 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. It's the largest oil spill cleanup company in the United States. 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. Twentyyears earlier, he was also diagnosed with an aggressive 36-millimeter acoustic neuroma. 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 . His condition was rare, but he was successfully treated. The cause hasn't been discovered yet, but some researchers suspect . 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. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. 4/24 UPDATE: The radiological team charged with looking for both radiation and radon has concluded. Lupiano also suggested a potential link between Colonia High School and a Middlesex, New Jersey, sampling plant in his interview with NJ Spotlight. "I have some lingering issues. WOODBRIDGE The township has approved an emergency contract of $221,350 for an engineering firm to conduct radiological assessments at Colonia High School, following a 1989 graduate's research indicating a possible link between the school and brain tumor cases among former students and staff. Lupiano's familiarity comes from his own experience. Any finding that an outbreak of cancer in a specific location warrants the label cluster would rely on the elimination of possible causes that include the age of patients, the type of cancer, and how the number of cases compares with the incidence of the disease in the general population, they said. That decades-long stretch ended in the early 2000s, but recent publicity around the cases prompted an exhaustive new investigation and radiological testing at the Woodbridge Township School District building. I've tried to give back over the last 20 years.". Al Lupiano first sent public nearly two months ago about concerns of a cancer cluster related to Colonia High School. 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. He says if there is something going on, he worries about all of the people that would be impacted. Public health experts will look at the rate of brain cancer cases and investigate potential causes. The school was built back in 1967 on acres of empty land, with McCormac telling the news network he is stumped as to what could be causing the cancers. More than 100 people who graduated from Colonia High School have developed brain cancer. He alleges that some contaminated soil was removed from the site when it closed down in 1967 the same year Colonia High School was built. Hours after Deciliis got her diagnosis, Lupiano's wife Michelereceived similar news. Make no mistake when the department believes that people are at risk we act and immediately so, he told media members. They were very appreciative that we reached out to them but they were not interested in getting involved, and they kept trying to pass it off, and saying they will have to do research and get back to you, he said, referring to the New Jersey agency. For a better-informed future. He went on to recover from the disease. How will officials determine if a true cancer cluster exists? A mystery in Colonia 94 people from 1 N.J. high school developed brain tumors. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. McCormac and Lupiano are waiting to hear back from the EPA. By that time, we hope the federal agencies are going to take over. 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. Al Lupiano, his wife Michele, and his sister Angela DeCillis all graduated from CHS between 1989 and 1995. The EPA says that inhaling radon for a long time increases your risk of lung cancer. Al Lupiano is among the 94 former staff and students from Colonia High School in the Woodbridge Township School District who have been stricken by the devastating diagnoses in recent years. . 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. Because I dont think its right to say theres no threat to teachers and students if you didnt take a single soil or groundwater sample.. Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting research. A look back: Al Lupiano was diagnosed with acoustic neuroma, a . While not technically cancer, these brain tumors can grow and become life-threatening if left untreated. I have a really bad feeling were going to find contamination beyond the high school. Jason Wisinski, who lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to . Concerns were raised by Al Lupiano, a 1989 graduate of Colonia High School, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor along with his wife Michele and sister Angela DeCillis, both of whom had. Its not something done to us due to bad habits.. In the 1980's, the contaminated residential properties were cleaned up, and the excavated soil was stored at the site in a specially constructed pile, known as the Vicinity Properties (VP) pile," the USACE New York Division's website states. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. The school district's superintendent, Dr. Joseph Massimino, said in March that he was waiting to hear from the environmental agencies on next steps. 2023 FOX News Network, LLC. Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. The work will be done in cooperation with Woodbridge School District. Gov. Were all concerned, and we all want to get to the bottom of this. (Gosselin Funeral Home) In August 2021, DeCillis received . WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. READ MORE: Former Woodbridge, N.J. resident says 65 people who either attended or worked at Colonia High School have had rare brain tumors. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). 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. katherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address Print |. The authorities will be conducting radiological assessments across the school's 28-acre campus, including the testing of indoor air samples for radon. Over 100 former students and staff from a New Jersey high school have been diagnosed with brain tumors. "We continue receiving lip service, that we're here to help, but when we look around, they are nowhere to be found.". In a post Saturday, Lupiano said a radiological team that was looking for radiation and radon concluded their search. 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. Both Lupiano, 50, and his wife Michele, 49, who is also a Colonia graduate, have acoustic neuroma, a benign tumor. "The sooner we can get them to listen to us, the sooner we can do something.". After his sister's death in February, Lupiano became convinced of a link between the Colonia. during the press conference posted on the townships Youtube page. Reports claim that more than 60 former students and staff of Colonia High School have been diagnosed with a rare brain tumor called . He just needs a place. A former Woodbridge man has identified 84 Colonia High School alumni and former staffers with rare brain tumors and wants health officials to investigate. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Thanks for contacting us. He believes something at the high school in one of the more suburban and affluent sections of the township is responsible for dozens of brain cancer cases. 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. 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. LOS ANGELES (AP) More than a week after Tom Sizemore suffered a brain aneurysm, a representative says the actor's family is "now deciding end of life matters." "Today, doctors informed . 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. But where? (Al Lupiano), "[A]s of midnight Sunday 4/10, I recorded the 100th case of someone having a primary brain tumor," Luapiano said in an update on his Faceboook post. "I talked to him a little bit and learned about what he had been working on," McCormactoldNew Jersey 101.5. All rights reserved. The cancer was diagnosed years after these students graduated or worked at Colonia High School in Woodbridge. ", Colonia High School entrance. Many more came forward after the posting, and by Thursday, the number had grown to 103, Lupiano told NJ Spotlight News. We've received your submission. 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. 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. The same day his sister was diagnosed, his wife, Michele, a 1991 Colonia High School graduate, was diagnosed with a large acoustic neuroma, a rare brain tumor which is life-threatening if left untreated. NEW JERSEY - A New Jersey man has uncovered a medical mystery apparently linking more than 100. The analysis took several weeks. And all three were diagnosed with rare forms of brain cancers or tumors on the left side of their brains. You can reach him at richard.rickman@townsquaremedia.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. The four-year high school has more than 1,300 students. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! No one knows why. Its not something in soil. For now, radiation levels in and around the school are being monitored in a two-week test that began on April 9 by a private contractor hired by the municipality. Shehad been dealing with hearing loss for several years. Notably, brain cancer is rarer than other cancers. COLONIA, New Jersey (WABC) -- Two environmentalists are using a GPS to test for radiation on the grounds of Colonia High School. Initially, he found 15 people who attended the high school and were diagnosed with a primary brain tumor, meaning a tumor that originates in the brain, according to NBC Today. Jon can be contacted by email at jonhurdle@gmail.com. Asking them to be patient for several more weeks is unacceptable. And it is also great news for all former students.". "The high school was the first thing to be there, so there was probably nothing in the ground at that time," he said. According to NJ Spotlight News, McCormac has been contacted by at least five agencies, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Jersey Department of Health. McCormac said residents are expressing concerns, and the township is working to keep everyone updated. Lupiano was diagnosed in 1999 with a benign tumor known as Acoustic Neuroma. Both his wife and sister were assigned the same doctor for treatment. We've received your submission. Only 72 of the suspected cancer clusters were confirmed to have an increased incidence of cancer within the cluster. Her work has appeared in Scientific American, Wired UK, Popular Science and Youth Today, among others. Colonia High School is now the subject of radiation detecting. The number of people is so small that we don't know how many cancers you'd expect , she said. McCormac speaks highly of Lupiano, who worked for nine years after college with EPA emergency responders. 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. Legal Statement. 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. State Department of Health Commissioner Judith Persichillisaid during the press conference a review of the cancer registry by health officials determined the expected number of primary brain tumors for Colonia students from 1968 to 2021 were 98 to 105 and among staff for that same timeframe were 13 to 14. 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. 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. It is the type of brain tumor that Arizona Sen. John McCain died from in 2018. To his knowledge, there was nothing remotely dangerous at the site. 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