A Boston-area hospital, Mass General Brigham Newton-Wellesley Hospital, is investigating after 11 employees from the fifth-floor maternity unit reported health concerns, with five of them developing benign brain tumors. The hospital ruled out environmental risks such as disposable masks, water supply, x-rays, and chemotherapy treatments as potential causes for the tumors. The Massachusetts Nurses Association is conducting an independent investigation to further explore the issue, as they believe the hospital’s investigation was not comprehensive. State and federal health and safety officials have not provided conclusive information on the matter. The American Cancer Society notes that cancer clusters require the same type of cancer, in the same area, with the same cause, affecting more people than expected based on a baseline number of occurrences. The society also states that nearly 4 out of 10 people in the US will develop cancer during their lifetimes, so clusters of cancer cases in a small area are not uncommon. The hospital administrators have assured staff and patients that there is no environmental risk at the facility, but ongoing investigations and scrutiny from the nurses’ union continue.
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.
