Six nurses working on the fifth-floor maternity unit at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Massachusetts have been diagnosed with benign brain tumors, sparking concern about a cancer cluster and prompting dual investigations by the hospital’s administration and the nurses’ union. Despite extensive environmental testing, the hospital stated in a letter to patients and families that it has not found any evidence of workplace exposure contributing to the tumors.
The Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA), representing Newton-Wellesley staff, is not convinced by the hospital’s findings. Joe Markman, spokesperson for the MNA, told NBC News, “The hospital only spoke to a small number of nurses, and their environmental testing was not comprehensive. The hospital cannot make this issue go away by attempting to provide a predetermined conclusion.”
The MNA has launched its own independent investigation, citing additional reports from nurses and other hospital staff who claim that 11 individuals have developed health problems and six had brain tumors. According to NBC News, at least two cases involve meningioma, the most common type of benign brain tumor.
What is a Cancer Cluster?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines a cancer cluster as a “greater than expected number of the same or etiologically related cancer cases that occurs within a group of people in a geographic area over a defined period of time.” To be considered a true cluster, the cases must involve a specific type of cancer or cancers known to have a common cause.
What Do Cluster Investigations Find?
According to the American Cancer Society, there are three main possible outcomes when a suspected cancer cluster is investigated:
- Not a True Cluster: In this case, investigators conclude that the number of cancer cases is not significantly higher than expected after accounting for factors such as age, gender and genetic predisposition.
- A True Cluster with No Identified Cause: Sometimes, a higher-than-expected number of cancer cases is confirmed, but no specific cause can be identified. This outcome is common since pinpointing a single environmental or occupational cause can be challenging.
- A True Cluster with a Known Cause: Investigators rarely confirm a true cluster and identify a specific environmental or occupational cause. Although rare, most confirmed clusters with identified causes involve workplace exposures, where a clearly defined group of people was exposed to carcinogens over an extended period.
Research indicates that suspected cancer clusters most often prove to be random occurrences rather than evidence of environmental exposure. A 2012 review of 428 investigations in the US spanning 20 years found that an increase in cancer incidence was confirmed in 72 of the investigations. Three of these were linked to hypothesized exposures, and only one investigation found a clear cause.
What the Experts Say
Graeme Woodworth, director of the Brain Tumor Program at the University of Maryland, cautions against jumping to conclusions. “There are many different types of brain tumors, some are benign, some are more aggressive and considered malignant. A key differentiator of brain tumors is whether the tumor formed from a brain cell or from another cell type outside of the brain. Where the tumor formed can have a lot to do with the cause. In most cases, brain tumors are sporadic, random growths without a specific, singular cause,” he told Newsweek.
Mass General Brigham has stated that the extensive environmental testing, which included air and water quality checks and assessments for radiation and chemical exposure, revealed no apparent risks associated with the work environment.
Looking Ahead
Nurses at the hospital remain concerned. “We want reassurance,” one nurse told CBS, “because this has not been a reassuring past few months for a lot of the staff members. We want to feel safe, the same way we want to make our patients feel safe.”
Ultimately, while the concern is understandable, the vast majority of suspected cancer clusters do not reveal a definitive cause. However, the investigations at Newton-Wellesley may still provide valuable data for ongoing public health monitoring and workplace safety protocols.
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