Mass General Brigham Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Newton, Massachusetts, is investigating after 11 employees from the fifth-floor maternity unit reported health concerns. Five of those employees were diagnosed with benign brain tumors, two of which were meningiomas. The hospital conducted an investigation in collaboration with health and safety officials ruling out disposable masks, water supply, x-rays, and chemotherapy treatment as potential causes. The hospital released a statement assuring no environmental risks were identified.
The Massachusetts Nurses Association, the union representing nurses at the hospital, will continue its independent investigation to discover more about the situation. Some nurses had reported workplace health concerns leading to the discovery of those with brain tumors. The union criticized the hospital’s limited interaction with nurses and their lack of comprehensive environmental testing.
It is unclear if the occurrences of brain tumors among the employees meet the definition of a cancer cluster as the investigation is ongoing. The American Cancer Society notes that it is not uncommon for multiple people in a small area to develop cancer simultaneously. Further investigation is warranted to determine the cause of the benign brain tumors among the hospital employees. State and federal occupational health and safety officials have not provided conclusive information on the matter.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
