A hospital in the Boston area is investigating after 11 employees from the fifth-floor maternity unit reported health concerns, with five of them developing benign brain tumors. The hospital, Mass General Brigham Newton-Wellesley Hospital, conducted an investigation with government health and safety officials ruling out environmental risks such as disposable masks, water supply, x-rays, and chemotherapy treatment on the floor below. Despite this, the Massachusetts Nurses Association, the union representing the nurses, is continuing an independent, scientific investigation to ensure the safety of its members. The American Cancer Society states that in order to define a cancer cluster, occurrences must be the same type, in the same area, with the same cause, affecting a higher number of people than expected. The hospital administration reassured its staff and patients that there is no environmental risk at the facility. However, the union believes the hospital’s investigation was not comprehensive and that the issue cannot be resolved by providing a predetermined conclusion. A state agency and federal occupational health and safety officials did not provide conclusive information on the matter by the deadline. The American Cancer Society highlights that it is not uncommon for multiple people in a small area to develop cancer, as nearly 4 out of 10 people in the United States will develop cancer during their lifetimes.
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