The Center for Disease Control has launched an investigation into North Carolina State University’s Poe Hall after more than 150 people were diagnosed with different types of cancer.
Cases of lymphoma and thyroid and breast cancers have been reported among staff, students and alumni who spent time at the department building earlier this year.
The building closed in November 2023 amid reports of exposure to concerning levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), toxic chemicals linked to cancer.
An investigation the month before found that PCB levels in five rooms were more than 38 times the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) building limit.
As a result, a division of the CDC has begun looking into possible cancer clusters at the once-busy university building.
Poe Hall, a class building at North Carolina State University, closed amid concerns of ‘forever chemicals’ polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which have been linked to cancer
As a result, a division of the CDC has begun looking into possible cancer clusters at the once-busy university building
Jessica Rinsky, an epidemiologist for the Department of Health and Human Services, wrote in an official letter: ‘We are taking action to understand the occurrence of cancer among North Carolina State University employees who worked in the building.’
The expert has reportedly asked the state of North Carolina to cross-reference Poe Hall employees with the state’s cancer registry and provide local cancer data to determine if an excess of ‘specific cancer types’ occurred among workers in Poe Hall, according to WRAL.
Attorney Bryan Brice who is representing the patients said that his clients were ‘excited’ that an investigation had begun and believed that about 25 of the victims had already died.
‘We are excited and happy, that the CDC and the NIOSH cancer cluster study is in full swing.
More than 150 people have been diagnosed with cancer linked to Poe Hall, which held education and psychology classes for 4,000 students
‘We have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of clients who are sick and hurting and (have) cancer. We understand that there may be up to 25 folks who have passed away from cancer, who have worked in Poe Hall.
‘It’s a toxic building. I was worried. I was glad that we had on PPE and protective gear. PCBs – polychlorinated biphenyls – were banned in 1979 for a reason. They’re toxic,’ he told ABC11.
Some of Brice’s clients include Sarah Glad, a 35-year-old mother-of-one, who dreamed of using her degrees from NC State to run for office.
However, her dreams were cut short when she died from stage four breast cancer, which her family claims is linked to attending classes in Poe Hall.
Sarah Glad, who attended NC State from 2007 to 2013, died at the age of 35 from stage four breast cancer
The dozens of cancer cases and their links to the university building were exposed by a months-long investigation by the local news station WRAL.
Sarah attended NC State from 2007 to 2013, earning a bachelor’s and master’s degree.
Her husband, Robbie Glad, told WRAL, who investigated the cases, that his wife spent much of her master’s program in Poe Hall.
Years later, within months of each other, Sarah and a former classmate were both diagnosed with breast cancer. Sarah was just 33 years old.
She was able to fulfill one dream and become a mother in August 2022, even as cancer ravaged her body.
However, in January 2024, at the age of 35, she died from the disease.
Jessica Rinsky, an epidemiologist for the Department of Health and Human Services wrote in an official letter: ‘We are taking action to understand the occurrence of cancer among North Carolina State University employees who worked in the building’
NC State’s investigation into Poe Hall began in August 2023 when an employee issued a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Division of the North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL)
Poe Hall, which held education and psychology classes for 4,000 students, was constructed in 1971, when PCBs were commonly used in industrial products like oils, insulators, and electric appliances such as TV sets, lighting and refrigerators.
PCBs, including those used to build Poe Hall, were largely mass produced by agricultural giant Monsanto until they were banned in 1979 amid concerns that they harmed humans and the environment.
According to the EPA, conclusive evidence has found that PCBs can cause cancer in animals, as well as harm their immune, reproductive, nervous, and endocrine systems.
The agency classifies these chemicals as ‘probably carcinogenic’ to humans.
According to the CDC, exposure to PCBs can lead to increased enzymes linked to liver damage, skin lesions and respiratory issues.
Animal studies have shown effects such as weight loss, fatty liver, thyroid damage and cancer.
NC State’s investigation into Poe Hall began in August 2023 when an employee issued a complaint with the Occupational Safety and Health Division of the North Carolina Department of Labor (NCDOL).
The complaint ‘alleged health and/or safety hazards related to Poe Hall,’ according to the university’s updates page for the investigation.
Health officials began sampling the seven-story building in October and found PCB levels more than 38 times the EPA’s safe limits for construction.