There is one well documented cause of brain tumors radiation exposure. These ores, 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. He was 52 years old. Dose, too, is a major factor. For the past six months, Ive spent hundreds of hours scouring the internet and speaking to people about brain tumors. The 110 people that Lupiano has counted on his list of former Colonia High School graduates have been diagnosed with cancerous or noncancerous primary brain tumors, meaning they originated in the brain. When I analyzed the numbers I wasnt prepared to see the results! During the freshman orientation for parents, she collected a dust sample inside a bathroom which came back positive for polychlorinated biphenyls also known as PCBs, which have been linked to cancer in humans. is continuing. Nguyn Tri High School. 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. "We absolutely have concerns, the Democrat told NJ.com. Lupiano's quest for information took him to Facebook last month, and that list of people who went to or worked at Colonia High School - and have a primary brain tumor - is now closing in on 100 . PROMISING CANCER VACCINE IN THE WORKS UTILIZING SIMILAR MRNA TECHNOLOGY THAT COMBATS COVID: DUKE RESEARCHERS. There are hundreds more probable carcinogens of varying ubiquity under study, such as pesticides, parasites, night shifts and indoor fires. Despite the number of cases, officials first have to determine if scientific evidence indeed indicates a connection between the school grounds and the brain tumors. When faced with terminal disease, people often look for an overarching explanation as a way to cope with an unbearable reality. The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 producer, writer, and host Joe Votruba. 3/21 UPDATE: I am scheduled to present my data to local, County, and State officials. The study doesnt close anything. But in the field of public health, cancer clusters are defined by statistics, not gut instincts. An investigation has . Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. Lupiano promised his dying sister to dig for the root of the brain cancers apparently linked to the high school. 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. My three siblings graduated class of 91, 95, and 98. EPA looking into cancer cluster tied to NJ high school. '", Al Lupiano was diagnosed with a "very rare" and abnormally large brain tumor in 1999 when he was 27 called Acoustic Neuroma. The Woodbridge town council spent $221,000 to deploy 83 radon testing devices and conduct radiological testing at the school building and encircling 28-acre campus. It confers such chaos into the people who are affected by it.. 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. The schools social media accounts have been quiet about the brain tumors. The incident rate for GBM is approximately 30 out of 1,000,000 people. (Gosselin Funeral Home) In August 2021, DeCillis received . 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. "That was a red flag," said Komorek who also collected a caulk sample from outside the school and soil samples, both of which also came back for PCBs. Radiological assessments will be conducted throughout the . Scientists and health activists say the governments current response to disease clusters ranges from piecemeal to nonexistent.. Jason Wisinski, who lost his wife and sister-in-law, both Colonia High alumnae, to primary malignant brain tumors at the age of 38, became one of many convinced that a cluster a hyperlocal blight of cancer could explain why so many young residents were succumbing to tumors. Updated Apr 17, 2022 at 4:10pm. So when officials declared earlier this year that ground penetrating radar tests on the grounds of Colonia High School concluded there was no dangerous or carcinogenic radiation there, she took matters into her own hands. "One hundred out of 15,000 have brain cancer -- sure sounds like something we should be concerned about," Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac has said. A majority of former students of Colonia High School developed glioblastoma, a rare brain tumour. 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. Colonia High School is 1 of 3 high schools in . Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 11:29 AM EST. Here are some tips. 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 . 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, "Nothing indicates that the school building or property is unsafe," he added. Local and federal environmental agencies say they are assisting the town of Woodbridge, New Jersey, in its investigation into more than 100 graduates of the same high school that have been diagnosed with rare brain tumors. Colonia High School (Google Maps) Middlesex County's Colonia High School, located in Woodbridge, has made national headlines in recent weeks after over 100 former students and faculty were found . Is cancer spreading at a New Jersey high school? Middlesex Sampling Plant to Colonia High School in New Jersey. The analysis can back with PCBs above federal and state standards as well as pesticides that were banned in 1988," she said. Between August 1999 and November 1999, the Corps disposed of 35,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil contained within the VP pile. As luck would have it, my wife and sister where both assigned the same doctor to handle their treatment. Legal Statement. Tonight I will be sitting down with The Garden State Podcast, which airs on various podcast services and Tik Tok. Lupiano started the quest for answers, using Facebook to compile similar cases of people who worked or were students at Colonia High School. She also suggested air sampling be done with closed windows to make sure indoor air is not diluted. Market data provided by Factset. An alum of Colonia High School in Woodbridge is raising the alarm over a possible cancer cluster among the school's graduates. 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. Komorek said sources of PCB in the school could include window, door or sink caulk, floor tile glue, paint, fluorescent light ballasts, expansion joints, concrete and mortar, materials which can emit PCBs into indoor air. Al Lupiano, his wife and his sister all had brain tumors. 1:07. Follow Joe on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Yesthere is. The same day my sister was diagnosed (August 2021), I received the devastating news my wife Michele (nee Zawada) also has a very large (3.0 cm), very rare brain tumor called an Acoustic Neuroma (aka Vestibular Schwannoma) on her left side. Is the exposure ongoing? Fox News correspondent Bryan Llenas has the latest as 100+ have been diagnosed with rare brain tumors from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey. But some still want more. "If we saw anything that said the school or the grounds were not safe, we would do something instantly. V Trng Ton High School. Of the number placed in January, 18 percent weighed less than 600 pounds, 24 percent weighed from 600 to 699 pounds, 27 percent weighed from 700 to 799 pounds, 18 percent weighed 800 . Earlier this year, officials claimed that penetrating radar tests on the grounds of Colonia High School concluded . Environmental scientist Al Lupiano tells NBC4 New . Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 02:45 PM EST. They may seek answers where there are not any or where they are impossible to dredge out. Cancer-Causing Toxins Found in New Tests at NJ School, Mom Says, Raising Concerns. Colonia High School in New Jersey has seen more than 100 students and staff diagnosed with cancer over the last 30 years. 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! Potentially contaminated soil had been removed from the Middlesex Borough property over the years,with some of the soil used for construction right around the time of the construction of Colonia High School. A New Jersey town is planning to conduct environmental testing at Colonia High School after a resident discovered dozens of people connected to the school had developed rare brain tumors. That contaminated fill would have been spread all over this town from a point source that I've yet to identify that was illegally dumped back in the 40s, 50s and 60s," he said. This is a high bar to clear. "I started doing some research and the three became five, the five became seven, the seven became 15," Lupiano said. In 1998 the Corps of Engineers recycled and disposed of the stockpiled steel. Anyone can read what you share. And heres our email: letters@nytimes.com. All three have been diagnosed with a brain tumor. We are optimistic we will see some action soon. In 1999, when he was just 27, Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare, benign brain tumor for someone his age called Acoustic Neuroma (AN). I don't get that," he said. ( NewsNation) An investigation is underway at a New Jersey high school that could potentially be linked to what's known as a cancer cluster. At the time, medium lifespan for her type of tumor was 18 months. In addition the Corps disposed of 33,000 cubic yards of contaminated soil contained within the (MML) pile. According to ABC7, one of the victims was a woman named Janice Wisinski, who died 10 years ago from an inoperable brain tumor while pregnant. Why is this alarming? In the case of Colonia High School, many of these valid limitations apply. If you would like to help, please contact the news and media agencies as well as your local, County, and State officials and get them involved. But Mr. Lupiano said he ultimately hopes one way or another to be assured that all is as it should be. 3/31 UPDATE: Thanks to all of you, the post has gone viral. His most recent Facebook update, as of April 17, 2022, says that he has identified 102 cases. "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. 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. That kind of follow-up could have the opposite effect, said Shawn LaTourette, New Jerseys commissioner of environmental protection, and send the wrong message that the suspicions deserved any more resources than what had already been invested. Al Lupiano, a Colonia High School . (Google Maps). Very often the first time public health officials learn about a potential community health threat, said Dr. Morello-Frosch, is through community members themselves.. Komorek said the school should be thoroughly tested for PCBs from indoor air through building materials and soil. Any opinions expressed are his own. The school was one of the first buildings constructed there and has since been expanded. Humans are awash in potential cancer-causing agents, and it is practically impossible to determine the cause of a given case. Updated: Feb 28, 2023 / 03:42 PM EST. Lupiano, his wife . 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. Nearly 100 Former Students and Staff From Colonia High School Develop Brain Tumors He concedes no soil or dust samples were collected when the township conducted its own tests, but adds that Komoreks findings need further validation. Last summer, Lupiano's wife and now-deceased sister were diagnosed with rare malignant brain tumors on the same day. Lupiano, an environmental scientist, said he has confirmed 65 cases of people with rare brain tumors, adding the common denominator is they were all Colonia High School graduates or had worked there. My list currently stands at 90 cases. More like this: Online High School 12 /r . Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Trinity was led by Mike Bednostin who had a game-high 24 points. Lupiano believes theres a link between. The New Jersey Departments of Health (DOH) and Environmental Protection (DEP) say they are involved in an investigation into the apparent cancer cluster, though Lupiano says he has not received requests for information from either agency. All of the cases have ties to Colonia High School, either as students or employees. 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. Powered by. Pollution gets cleaned up or dissipates into the air. Al Lupiano, speaking to CBS2, said the rare brain tumors were discovered in people who attended Colonia High School. "We immediately contacted our environmental consultants, the health department of the Township of Woodbridge, and township officials to review the information. The city of Woodbridge has been taking the lead on that front, spending hundreds of thousands of dollars for testing at a school that graduated roughly 15,000 people over the last 30 years. 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. So, if you wish to help, please help me get the word out. Al Lupiano, his sister and his wife are among the 115 people from Colonia High School in Woodbridge, New Jersey that he has determined have had a brain tumor. High School Lost My Transcript 16 /r/applyingtocollege, 2023-02-20, 17:42:41 Stage IV update 15 /r/pancreaticcancer . 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. 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. Al Lupiano, a graduate of the high school, believes there's a link between Colonia High School and brain tumors diagnosed in 108 people over a period of three decades, ending in the early 2000s. So she took matters into her own hands and found toxic chemicals linked to cancer as well as pesticides at the school. Something is wrong here, he said. Of the estimated 1,000 suspected cancer clusters reported to health departments each year, only a small fraction prove to be statistically significant cancer surges. They weren't taken by a licensed remediation specialist, so I assume our consultants are going to come up with a plan to do some testing, but it will be official by state and federal testing," the mayor said. "People have to stop using the word cancer cluster. Lupiano was diagnosed with a rare and abnormally large brain tumour Acoustic Neuroma (AN) in 1999 when he was just 27 years old. 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. Im 99.99 percent convinced.. Ten L Man High School. Sure, there's nothing inherently wrong with spending $11 on chicken tenders or $13 on a cocktail, but if you give yourself some extra time or have time to spare after the event, there are plenty of great food and drink options that all require less than a 20 minute walk. See Al Luciano's entire NJSpotlight interview below. ", "They tend to leave stuff behind, and that stuff tends to migrate from one location to another. 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). These tumors are even more rare occurring in 10 out of 1,000,000 individuals. A Record of Decision (ROD) for Soils was signed September 2005. To report that your child will be absent or late, call the Attendance Hotline: (732) 726-7040 While generally only life threatening if left untreated, radiation and surgical removal typically leaves individuals with numerous debilitations including chronic headaches, balance issues, fatigue, deafness, slurred speech, inability to blink, and facial paralysis (to name only a few), and that assumes it doesnt begin to regrow in the future. While I am thrilled to have the information coming in again, its also very troubling to see the numbers continue to grow. 100 PEOPLE WITH RARE TUMORS WHO ATTENDED SAME NEW JERSEY HIGH SCHOOL DEMAND ANSWERS. Rich Strack, who taught English and philosophy at Colonia for about 30 years, likened the situation to a dark cloud hanging over the school. People struggle to recall their past daily lives which seat they sat in during high school chemistry or where their drinking water came from five years ago. Lupiano, however, says Woodbridge Mayor McCormac is the only government official who has reached out to him for information. 89. According to My Central New Jersey, the mayor said the school site was vacant land until the school was built in 1967, so he believes there is little chance anything was in the ground before then, but if there is anything on site, it could have come from fill during the construction phase.. Email tips toaudrey.conklin@fox.com or on Twitter at @audpants. 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