NYSDOH Studies Cancer In Northport-East Northport School District

NORTHPORT, NY — The New York State Department of Health said it is expanding its investigation of cancer within the Northport-East Northport Union Free School District.

The department said it has worked since March 2019 to confirm and uncover additional information about the cancer cases, primarily leukemia, reported among the Northport High School Class of 2016. However, the department told Patch it will be looking at cancers among children and adults across the entire school district over a longer time period.

The investigation will include all types of cancer among all ages, with a focus on young people and young adults, according to the Department of Health. It will review whether there are cancer elevations among residents of the school district as a whole, certain geographic areas within the school district, in specific time-frames, or within specific age groups.

The review will use the NYS Cancer Registry, which includes individual-level information about all cancer cases diagnosed among residents of the study area.

Fewer than six cancer cases were reported to the department in its initial review of the Class of 2016. The department did not provide the exact number as a means of protecting patient confidentiality.

Robert Banzer, superintendent of the Northport-East Northport School District, told parents in a January letter that the Department of Health informed him of the planned extensive review of cancers across the district.

"The district supports this study and will fully cooperate with the NYSDOH as they conduct their
research," Banzer wrote. "It is anticipated that at the conclusion of their study, a full report will be made available."

Banzer noted the initial review of the Class of 2016 has been in process for months, and said it did not have any impact on the district's January decision to close Northport Middle School for the remainder of the school year.

Senator Charles Schumer wrote a letter to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regarding a separate investigation of the Northport Middle School. He asked the EPA to get involved after high levels of chemicals were found on-campus in January.

Mercury was found in the cesspool outside the school, while elevated benzene levels were discovered in soil samples from two different septic systems, according to environmental firm PW Grosser Consulting. Northport Middle School was closed for the rest of the academic year as a result of the findings.