Staff members or former students are affected by these tumours, which for some take the form of glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive brain cancer.
- Glioblastoma sometimes has genetic causes, but they can also be environmental.
- The school was built in 1967.
- At the time, it was the first construction in the sector, wooded until then.
What’s going on at Colonia High School in New Jersey? Nearly a hundred people, former students or staff members, have developed brain tumours. One of them believes that having attended this establishment could be the cause. Al Lupiano, alumnus turned environmental scientist, suffered from a brain tumor twenty years ago. If he has since recovered, his wife and sister, who also attended this school, have developed brain cancer. “My sister found out she had a primary brain tumor, he tells CBS New York. Unfortunately, it turned out to be stage 4 glioblastoma. Two hours later, we learned that my wife also had a primary brain tumor.“In early 2022, his sister died of the disease.
Environmental causes?
Intrigued by the occurrence of these tumors, he posted a message on social networks to find out if among his former school friends, some people had also developed brain cancer. He identified nearly 100 people affected and all having attended the same school. Some have developed particularly aggressive tumours: glioblastomas. “What I find alarming is that there’s really only one environmental link to primary brain tumors: ionizing radiation.”, he continues. They are forms of energy propagated by electromagnetic waves or particles. “Acute health effects such as skin burns or acute radiation syndrome can occur when radiation doses exceed a certain level“, specifies theWorld Health Organization. “It’s not contaminated water. It’s not air. It’s not something in the ground. It’s not something that’s the consequence of bad habits.“, insists Al Lupiano.
Research is underway
This potential cluster worries local authorities. “If there is something here, the sooner we know, the better, because we can react quickly.”City Mayor John McCormack told Fox5. Boxes were placed in the facility on April 9 to collect air samples. Others were placed in the ground to detect possible exceedances of radiation levels. The various tests should be completed this week and their results are expected a month later. “If we find something, it’s not the end of the road. This is just the beginningconcludes Al Lupiano. And if we don’t find anything, we’ll have to keep looking to make sure there’s no danger, and if there is, we have to remove it.“
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