Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Earlier:'It can't be a coincidence': Colonia High School community probes mysterious cancer cases, Earlier:Location sought for brain scans in wake of alleged cancer cluster tied to Colonia High School, Earlier:Colonia High School cancer probe catches NJ Department of Health attention. Trusted Board Certified Radiation Oncologists serving the communities of Avondale, Chandler, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Surprise, Anthem . Random patterns are the most common reason for a cancer cluster with no identified cause. ), especially if there is concern about a specific type of exposure as a possible cause. Even if statistics show that it may be a true cluster, its important to know that its very rare that a cause is found. Colonia High School is now the. There are growing concerns over a medical mystery at a New Jersey high school following dozens of diagnoses of brain tumors dating back decades. For example, there are several types of leukemia, and its important to know which type each person has. The type(s) and number of cancers involved, Any suspected exposure(s) that might cause cancer, The area and time period in which the cases occurred, Specific information about each person thought to be affected, Specific information about the cancers themselves, Cancer cases within family members who are blood relatives (especially cancers known to be strongly genetically linked), Different types of cancers that are not known to be related to one another, A few cases of very common cancers, particularly when the people affected are of the usual age and sex for those cancers, Cancers among people who didnt live in the same area at the time an exposure would have to had taken place to cause that cancer. Read Newsmax Terms and Conditions of Service. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. If there is a potential cause, investigators first have to figure out when these people were exposed to it. Remind: Using the Remind texting platform to invite students to event and to remind students of upcoming deadlines. The initial investigation began several weeks ago, when 1989 graduate Al Lupiano rang the alarm bell that there seemed to be an unusual amount of cancer cases among . Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. Lupiano's sister, also a graduate of the high school, died recently from brain cancer. The numbers have risen from around 80 to now more than 90 people with a cancer diagnosis who could be tied to a suspected cancer cluster at Colonia High School in Woodbridge. People may become concerned that theres a cancer cluster in their community if they believe there is a higher than normal number of cancers in the area. 2008;100(9):614-621. Cancer Facts & Figures 2019.Atlanta, GA, 2019. Because of the fact that schools are considered sensitive receptors, due to childrens susceptibility to the adverse effects of exposure to toxins chemicals, the investigation of the Colonia High School cancer cluster must be of utmost importance. Credit: (Robert Brainz via Flickr/2.0 Generic/CC BY-NC-ND 2.0), More cases in Colonia High school suspected cancer cluster, State, federal health agencies wait for Woodbridge radiation tests, Colonia High School graduate suggests cancer cases linked to school. Probe at Colonia High School Looks At Possible Link Between School and Brain Tumors - NBC New York New Jersey Cancer Cluster Probe at NJ HS Underway After 100+ Diagnosed With Brain. In many cases, investigators can determine that a cluster of cancers isnt a true cluster. The number of people with rare brain tumors who either attended or worked at Colonia High School in Woodbridge has grown to 117, according to Al Lupiano who has been conducting his own research into a suspected cancer cluster. What were hearing anecdotally is alarming, and it may be after doing a scientific analysis that it turns out its not technically a cluster but its sufficiently alarming that they should do a full-scale evaluation to determine that.. Cancer Clusters. More cancer cases in the United States are expected in large population centers or in places where the population tends to be older. Lupiano is also the whistleblower who discovered a possible cancer cluster in graduates and educators from the high school. 20? For reprint requests, please see our Content Usage Policy. Theyll need to make sure that the cases are cancer and that they know the specific diagnosis. As with any random pattern, there will be more cases than expected in some spots, and fewer cases than expected in others. For example, the number of cases might not really be higher than expected once other factors that could explain the increase (such as peoples age, gender, and tobacco use) are taken into account. We were just informed by the local school officials that at this time, there is no discernable health or wellness threat to students, staff, or visitors at Colonia High School and we will remain open. "Every inch of Colonia High School from buildings to fields is being tested for radiation to determine if there is a link between the school and the number of cancer cases . In addition, DEPs further review does notindicate sources of environmental exposures of concern to public health. 2023 NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, The number of people with rare brain tumors has grown to 117. Komorek gathered dust, caulk and soil samples and sent them to outside labs for testing. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. If the excess cases of cancer dont seem to be random, they might need to be looked at more closely to find out if they might have a common cause. Unfortunately, this is not a common outcome of cancer cluster investigations. 1:44. For example: McClintock's Dia de los Muertos FAFSA event was promoted to our students at Tempe High as well. And how many children have I buried? Its very important that government agencies keep members of the community informed from the start of and throughout the investigation. Environmental scientist Al Lupiano tells NBC4 New York that there may be a common link. It sounds like they are investigating, as there are lots of things that we do not know about this, Lonser tells Newsmax. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2013;62(RR-08):1-14. 2023 NewsmaxHealth. National Center for Environmental Health, CDC, Atlanta, Georgia. Cancer is a group of more than 100 different diseases. Al Lupiano has found 107 people with primary brain tumors who all attended or worked at Colonia High School. I think what theyll have to do is go through a ton of info that includes the tumor types and any potential risk factors identified with those individuals. "It was shock," Al Lupiano, a former student, told "GMA" at the time. Massimino said he hopes this news gives Colonia students, families, staff members and the community an opportunity to breathe easier. About 1,000 suspected cancer clusters are reported to state health departments each year. Here you'll find in-depth information on specific cancer types including risk factors, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment options. Some types of cancer are more common in men than in women (and vice versa), and some are more common in certain racial or ethnic groups, or in people with other shared characteristics (such as a history of tobacco use). 2018. T: (602) 229-2500 | F: (602) 229-2555, 2700 N. Central Ave. Suite 400 | Phoenix, AZ 85004, Academic Affairs and Educational Attainment, Arizona Board of Regents' Committee on Free Expression, Information for HS Counselors and Principals, Western Interstate Commission for HIgher Education (WICHE), Feb. 16th - THS Parent Teacher Conferences and THS For the Love of Money FAFSA Night also 9 12 graders invited for College/ Career planning cookies will be served, week of Aug. 29, 2022 all senior English classes first presentation (College Apps, FSA ID, Maia Learning tool), Week of Sept. 26 all senior English classes 2, Oct. 17 and 18 FAFSA days at THS college and community partners on campus all day for 1:1 FAFSA follow ups, Week of Sept. 15 thru Sept. 22 all Junior English class presentations Maia Learning tool pre-College and FAFSA. "One hundred out of 15,000 have brain cancer -- sure sounds like something we should be concerned about," Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac told News 4 New York. But many of these will be due to the bulls-eye effect (which is something like drawing a target on the wall after the darts have been thrown). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention definesa cancer cluster as one where there is a greater number of cancer cases than would normally be expected; where the same type of cancer is found, and where the affected population is defined by factors such as race, age or gender, among other factors. Their commitment to students success is evident in their authentic interactions with students and families, their willingness to try new approaches, and how they collaborate with community partners like College Connect. Investigators might have a few clear leads or starting points for common exposures among affected people, but they need to look at all the possibilities. We encourage staff and students to wear a college shirt on Thursdays. Some clustering of cancer cases happens by chance, but people tend to notice and report situations where rates seem to be above average. Its just very difficult to get something like this off the ground. CORRECTION:The spelling of Lupiano has been corrected throughout this story. Gillick, who founded and still chairs the Citizens Action Committee on Childhood Cancer Cluster, rejected arguments by some health experts that there isnt enough evidence so far to label Colonia a cancer cluster a designation that is rarely upheld by public health authorities despite there being many sites suspected of meeting the definition. More than 80 people with a cancer diagnosis could be tied to a suspected cancer cluster at the High School. Accessed at www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/cancer-clusters-fact-sheet on April 29, 2019. True cancer clusters rarely involve more than one type of cancer. 2023 www.mycentraljersey.com. ", Anahi Carvajal, College Connect Advisor, The City of Tempe and our College Connect Tempe program have been partnering with Tempe High to support FAFSA completion for the past 10 years. People are exposed to countless natural and man-made substances during their lifetimes, and to make this even more complex, these can interact with each other. These factors need to be taken into account when determining if there are more than the expected number of cancers in a group of people. Cancer mystery at NJ school More than 100 people who graduated from Colonia High School have developed brain cancer. Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walks, ACS Center for Diversity in Research Training, Lifetime Risk of Developing or Dying From Cancer, How to Interpret News About Cancer Causes, Cancer Warning Labels Based on California's Proposition 65, https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/cancer-clusters-fact-sheet. Promotion of partner events: It's important to also promote other events especially local eventsthat students can attend. "So yes, we're taking this very seriously.". Accessed at www.cdc.gov/nceh/clusters/faq.htm on April 29, 2019. The parallels are the problems with trying to get exposure to all the organizations to try and get an investigation, he said. Workplace exposures can also be easier to identify because the group of exposed people is better defined and easier to trace as compared to groups in the community. In the hope of finding out whether the Colonia brain tumor cases are linked to a common environmental cause, the community there should press public agencies to act quickly, she said. Whether you want to learn about treatment options, get advice on coping with side effects, or have questions about health insurance, were here to help. It goes on to say that we anticipate receiving results from the comprehensive testing by the end of May. 2008;100(9):614-621. 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