An inquiry is taking place at a Massachusetts hospital following the diagnosis of head tumors in six staff members working on the same floor.
Mass General Brigham Newton-Wellesley Hospital confirmed that an investigation is in progress after announcing a sixth tumor diagnosis in an update posted on their official website.
This development follows reports from 11 employees in the unit of health issues, with five cases confirmed as benign tumors.
Of the initial five tumors, three were brain tumors, and the other two were identified as meningiomas, described by the Mayo Clinic as the ‘most common type of tumor that forms in the head.’
The hospital revealed that the Mass General Brigham Department of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) has recognized a sixth staff member with a benign tumor.
The hospital’s statement indicated that the six employees had varied durations of employment on the fifth floor, and the brain tumor cases had emerged over several years.
In response to this alarming situation, Newton-Wellesley Hospital initiated a ‘comprehensive evaluation’ of the fifth-floor environment, led by OHS and involving a team of experts, including independent firms.
The investigation comprises interviews with affected staff, an exhaustive review of air and water quality, and thorough testing for possible radiation, chemical, or pharmaceutical exposures.
According to their findings, the hospital stated: “Based on the results of this rigorous ongoing investigation, we can assure you that no environmental risks have been identified at our hospital […] While the OHS investigation is ongoing, we have found no evidence that these medical conditions were caused by the work environment.”
The hospital emphasized that the ‘health, wellbeing, and safety’ of patients, visitors, and staff at the facility remain a ‘top priority.’
They added, “While there has been a great deal of misinformation shared on social media and in other forums, we want to make sure you have the facts.”
The tumors present in the five staff members are benign, meaning they are not cancerous.
These tumors are defined as a ‘noncancerous collection of cells’ that are ‘slow-growing’ and do not spread to other body parts.
Though such tumors typically do not cause symptoms, ‘a large benign tumor may press on nearby tissue and organs,’ and surgery is the treatment to remove it, according to the Cleveland Clinic.