"If we can enrich science by showing that an unknown compound is in high concentration and link it to primary brain tumors, maybe we can protect others, remove it from our environment to make sure it never happens again," he said. I'm doing this not only for my wife, my sister my nieces are currently in the school but this deserves further understanding. NEW JERSEY - A New Jersey man has uncovered a medical mystery apparently linking more than 100 people . But in the field of public health, cancer clusters are defined by statistics, not gut instincts. In Woodbridge and elsewhere, unresolved concerns regardless of whether more can be done, scientifically can seed deep distrust and suspicion in suspected cluster communities. "Once again we will work with the school district through our health department and our environmental consultants and make contact with the state Departments of Environmental Protection and Health to help evaluate what we were presented with and decide on a future course of action," said Mayor John E. McCormac. People who have been exposed to ionizing radiation have an increased risk of developing primary brain tumors, whether they are malignant or benign, according to the Mayo Clinic. V Trng Ton High School. My list currently stands at 90 cases. 100 families having to be told the terrible news. Lng Th Vinh High School. What we were not prepared for was for the state to say, Were satisfied, after doing one simple test, Mr. Lupiano said. At the Colonia High School news conference in May, reporters pressed a panel of state experts on the decision not to test water and soil, even if just to reassure concerned community members that there was nothing there. The updates also move to de-emphasize statistical significance as the main criterion for investigating suspected cancer clusters in order to make more room for other criteria, such as mortality and electronic health record data, neighborhood patterns of cancer and even community-created lists of individuals with cancer diagnoses. What happened in Woodbridge illustrates the need for these changes, especially those aimed at bolstering the relationship between a concerned community and the public health experts facing the difficult task of investigating a suspected cluster. According to My Central New Jersey, the township has approved an emergency contract of $221,350 for an engineering firm to conduct radiological assessments at Colonia High School.. This is a high bar to clear. A few weeks ago, we very suddenly and tragically lost my 44-year-old sister Angela (CHS-95) to a very rare and highly aggressive malignant glioma brain tumor (Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM)) discovered on her left side. 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 . Federal investigations take place: An investigation by the Environmental Protection Agency is being done to determine whether these 100-plus cases are a cancer cluster, or simply a coincidence, Fox News reported. His wife was similarly diagnosed with a malignant AN tumor, and his sister was diagnosed with malignant Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), which has an incident rate of 30 out of every 1 million people. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. But many in the community do not accept them. Why would they include classes as recent as 2021 when we know many cancers take decades or longer to develop? 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. Dozens of former teachers and students have . Al Lupiano, speaking to CBS2, said the rare brain tumors were discovered in people who attended Colonia High School. It opens up more questions, more doubts, more anxieties, more concerns, he said. r indicating there were no radiological hazards at Colonia High School, Some in Colonia not satisfied after no radiological hazards found at school, developed a list of more than 120 people who were students, teachers or staff members at the school from the 1970s to 1990s who have apparently developed brain tumors, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The schools social media accounts have been quiet about the brain tumors. So, if not localized exposure, and not something we inhaled or drank, what could be the link? In the case of Colonia High School, many of these valid limitations apply. So she took matters into her own hands and found toxic chemicals linked to cancer as well as pesticides at the school. Assuming we follow the same statistical analysis as stated previously, over a 20-year period from 1975 1995, I estimate approximately 5,000 individuals have passed thru the hallowed halls of CHS. It says. "[A]t least pick up the phone and say, Hey Al, what do you see? And I would be happy here's my list. In 1980s, 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. Earlier:Some in Colonia not satisfied after no radiological hazards found at school. This is only one of many, many tests that can be performed. Taking the next steps to begin the investigation. But some still want more. Angela M. DeCillis, a Colonia High School graduate, Class of '95. Why Al Lupiano raised alarm over Colonia HS cancer links, Is it a cancer cluster or a coincidence? Several people raised questions to me about the state health departments analysis. Trng Vng High School. Instead, an amalgam of carcinogens, genetic predispositions, social factors, lifestyle choices, natural aging and the random chance of spontaneous mutation sets it off, bit by bit, year by year, even decade by decade. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. (Al Lupiano). He concedes no soil or dust samples were collected when the township conducted its own tests, but adds that Komoreks findings need further validation. Facebook And suddenly, it hit me! "Nothing in the newly reported information has any bearing on the prior studies which determined last spring that no radiation was found inside or outside of Colonia High School," Massimino said in his letter, adding parents would be kept informed of a plan of action based on the advice of experts. Edyta Komorek, an environmental scientist and parent with two children enrolled at the school, met on Monday with Superintendent of Schools Joseph Massimino, Colonia High School Principal Kenneth Pace and the president of the Woodbridge Township Education Association to discuss findings of some testing she had done at the school. On April 10, Mr. Lupianos list of former students and staff members with primary brain tumors hit 100 names. New Brunswick, N.J., April 27, 2021 - The New Jersey State Cancer Registry (NJSCR), under the direction of the State Department of Health in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, has been awarded a seven-year, $9,085,109 contract (75N91021D00009) from the National Cancer Institute (NCI . And once againI couldnt do this without your help!! Last summer, Lupiano's wife and now-deceased sister were diagnosed with rare malignant brain tumors on the same day. 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. But not all carcinogens cause cancer every time. WOODBRIDGE TWP., New Jersey -- Al Lupiano graduated from Colonia High School in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey in 1989. His wife Michelle graduated in 1991. Posted: Feb 28, 2023 / 02:45 PM EST. "They kind of understand," Komorek said, adding her children have to start over with new classes, teachers and schoolmates. He was raised in Thornton, CO and moved to Liberal, Kansas where he married and had two girls, Chelsey and Amber. I don't get that," he said. Lupiano, who is also an environmental scientist, and his wife Michelle-- both graduates of the high school -- were diagnosed with benign brain tumors 20 years apart. In 2016, Congress passed Trevors Law, named after a survivor of childhood brain cancer linked to a suspected cluster in Idaho deemed too small to study. However, 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. Prove to us theres nothing, he said. The Environmental Protection Agency and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection are now leading the investigation into the high instances of brain tumor diagnoses among Colonia High School students and staff. "Nothing indicates that the school building or property is unsafe," he added. As luck would have it, my wife and sister where both assigned the same doctor to handle their treatment. Lupiano, however, says Woodbridge Mayor McCormac is the only government official who has reached out to him for information. But this isn't the first time the high school has had questions about the radiation levels in the area. Tonight I will be sitting down with The Garden State Podcast, which airs on various podcast services and Tik Tok. 100 stories of shock and disbelief with the diagnosis. In 1999, I too was diagnosed with a very rare brain tumor on my left side. Could that be the link? The town announced in May that there were no traces of radioactivity found in the school. Here are the best chocolates in New Jersey. 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! Find Us . 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. Whatever the city decides to do, Komorek said she hopes it goes beyond the tests they already performed. "If we saw anything that said the school or the grounds were not safe, we would do something instantly. More like this: Online High School 12 /r . 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. All three of them have since come down with rare brain disorders. The high school was evacuated and a HAZMAT team secured the rock in a lead-lined box. Al Lupiano, a graduate of Colonia High School, tells Fox News Digital that since posting his theory about an apparent link between brain tumor diagnoses in 1990s and early 2000s graduates of . According to the television station, the sisters graduated from Colonia High School. I have made this shareable from my personal page if you would like to sharethank you for your assistance! We did exactly what they wanted.. World News Posted by Amit Chaturvedi Updated: April 15, 2022 12:33 pm IST. Edyta Komorek is a professional environmental scientist. By Sean Adams, WCBS Newsradio 880. He received his . My wife Michele class of 91. I pray we find answers(as of 18:00 4/11, the list stands at 102 individuals), 4/5 UPDATE: There has been quite a lot of news coverage nowKatie Tur of MSNBC, NJ Spotlight, Tap Into, Infolad, etc. Updated Apr 17, 2022 at 4:10pm. See Al Luciano's entire NJSpotlight interview below. Lupiano's sister, also a graduate of the high school, died recently from brain cancer. Al Lupiano . 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 . All of the cases have ties to Colonia High School, either as students or employees. And thats not the case. All rights reserved. The site received uranium, thorium and beryllium ores from the 1940s until 1967, at which time the facility was decontaminated to the standards in effect at the time. Ms. Renault is a health and science journalist. ", The agencies continued: "The Department of Health will work with the federal Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR) to provide an assessment of the potential health effects. 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. All three have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Trinity was led by Mike Bednostin who had a game-high 24 points. About one in three people will develop cancer over a lifetime, and one in five will die from it. Was it the street or neighborhood where we grew up linking us? Parents are trying to get authorities to investigate these clusters and to discern what caused the disease patterns. 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