The American Cancer Society states that your risk of developing a brain tumor at all during your lifetime is less than 1%. According to Healthline, your risk of developing a brain tumor is low, though the risk increases as you age. 80% of primary brain tumors are diagnosed in people over the age of 40, with 61 years old being the average age to receive such a diagnosis.
Apparently, working at Newton-Wellesley Hospital in Massachusetts can also increase your risk.
A nurse, who wishes to remain anonymous, from the hospital’s maternity ward claims that she, along with at least nine other nurses who also work or have worked in the same ward on the fifth floor over the last few years have all been diagnosed with brain tumors. Most are reportedly benign, but she claims some are cancerous. (I should point out that others are reporting that the number might be greater than 10 nurses, as well as the fact that some of the group have developed other health concerns beyond the brain tumors.)
“It’s getting to the point where the number just increases, and you start saying am I crazy thinking this. This can’t just be a coincidence,” she told CBS, adding, “You’re going into work every day with that feeling in your gut, and it’s a lousy feeling,’ she told the outlet.”
But she says the hospital is making her and the rest of its staff feel anything but safe.
The hospital says it knew about the situation and kicked off an internal investigation in December 2024, but it didn’t find anything wrong and released the following statement to CBS, via its associate chief medical officer and vice president of medical affairs, Jonathan Sonis, and its chief nursing officer and senior vice president of patient care services, Sandy Muse: .
After we became aware of reported brain tumors in individuals who currently or previously had worked in the same area of the hospital, we conducted an extensive investigation in collaboration with the Department of Occupational Health and Safety, Newton-Wellesley Safety Officer, radiation and pharmaceutical safety offices, and external environmental consultants.
Every staff member who came forward was given the opportunity to be interviewed by the Occupational Health and Safety team to evaluate each diagnosis in the context of their individual medical history and risk factors. To evaluate for any possible environmental exposures in that area of the hospital, comprehensive environmental assessments following CDC guidelines began in December.
The investigation found no environmental risks which could be linked to the development of a brain tumor. We presented these findings to relevant stakeholder groups, including the staff on the unit and the Massachusetts Nursing Association, and have held forums to meet with clinical and Occupational Health leaders to answer their questions. The hospital is providing the MNA with the test results from the investigation, including those of several external environmental firms.
Based on these results, we can confidently reassure our dedicated team members at Mass General Brigham/Newton-Wellesley Hospital and all our patients that there is no environmental risk at our facility. As always, the health and wellbeing of our staff, clinicians, and patients is our absolute top priority
The hospital also mentioned that not all nurses worked in that unit at the same time, and a few of the cases date back to pre-pandemic days (perhaps to dispel rumors circulating online that the COVID vaccine could have played a role).
But the nurses and many others in the medical profession are not happy with the hospital’s response and are calling for an independent investigation.
10 nurses who work on the same ward have brain tumours diagnosed. TEN.
Occupational health say they’ve checked and there is no environmental cause.
Case closed.
What happened to curiosity?
What happened to science?
What happened to humanity?https://t.co/ufiqMh7jCJ— Dr Clare Craig (@ClareCraigPath) March 29, 2025
The Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) is currently supporting the nurses and is now looking into the situation. Unsatisfied with the hospital’s investigation, the MNA is asking for anyone else who has been impacted to come forward. So far, it says it has heard from over 300 staff members. However, Nurse.org reports that some of the nurses are still afraid to come forward for fear of retaliation.
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