Medical Mystery: Over 100 People Diagnosed with Brain Tumors at This New Jersey High School

Brain tumor cases spanning generations have become a subject of growing medical concerns at a New Jersey high school.

Local authorities have launched an investigation to determine if there is a presence of potential radiation at the school's premises linked to the mysterious intracranial tumor.

Cancer Cluster Probe

Brain tumor — FRED TANNEAU/AFP via Getty Images

The City of Woodbridge is spearheading the investigation after 108 people out of the 15,000 graduates of the Colonia High School were diagnosed with brain tumors, over the last 30 years.

Woodbridge Mayor John McCormac stated that the case is truly concerning, as cited by NBC New York.

Anecdotal evidence from Al Lupiano, an environmental scientist and alumnus of the NJ high school, reportedly believes that there is a link between his alma matter and the cases of brain tumors that ended in the early 2000s.

However, health officials are still adamant as there are plausible health hazards that still remain.

Lupiano and his wife Michelle, who is also a graduate of the school, were both diagnosed with benign brain tumors 20 years apart.

The case strengthens even further when Lupiano's sister, also an alumna of the Colonia High School, died from brain cancer recently, according to NBC New York.

Currently, every inch of the school is being assessed for any possible contamination.

As final results are still underway, environmental and health authorities have expressed great concerns.

The Environmental Protection (DEP) New Jersey Departments of Health (DOH) stated they are also involved in the investigation into the "apparent cancer cluster," and the said agencies are also working with the Agency for Toxic Substance and Disease Registry (ATSDR), as per Fox News.

Also Read: New Study Explores Reprogrammed Skin Cells That Can Kill Brain Tumors

Background: Colonia High School

Being the subject of the current cancer cluster probe, the said New Jersey high school was established in 1967. It is one of the three high schools in Woodbridge Township.

Similar to any other school in the US, Colonia High School is attended by approximately more than 1,000 students and has developed its academic excellence over the decades.

The school has recently celebrated its 50 years of educational excellence and has been recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a "Top Rated High School" in 2015, 2016, and 2017.

Aside from the historical background of the school, there are no reported industrial accidents or any related incidents at the educational establishment.

As a result, local authorities, including investigators, are baffled about whether there is an unknown compound in the school related to the brain tumors.

What is a Brain Tumor?

Also called neoplasm, brain tumors are defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as the "growth of abnormal cells" in the brain tissues.

The US health agency added that brain tumors can be malignant (cancer) or benign (non-cancer).

According to the National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS), around 700,000 people in the US are living with a primary brain tumor.

The organization also predicted that an estimated 88,970 more will be diagnosed in 2022.

Among the types of brain tumors, glioblastoma is one of the many lethal malignant brain tumors that can form in the spinal cord or nerve cells of the brain.

The common symptoms of a brain tumor are headaches and seizures.

In modern times, early detection is one of the most effective measures against both cancerous and non-cancerous brain tumors, which often lead to death if not treated.