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Matt Shrivell<\/a> \u00a0THE NIGHTLY \u00a020 NOV 2025<\/p>\n Government health officials have confirmed a major investigation is underway amid concerning reports of a cancer cluster cover-up at a Sydney high school.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n NSW Premier Chris Minns has been enraged about the alleged situation involving a group of teachers falling victim to the supposed cancer cluster and pressure for them to remain silent.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n 7NEWS<\/strong><\/a> uncovered the story of the female teachers at \u00a0High School in Sydney\u2019s South, that were all diagnosed with cancer within a short space of time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Minns vowed to \u201cleave no stone unturned\u201d after the teachers were told not to speak out while battling tumours.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Former science teacher at the school, Deb Fabrizio, is fighting breast cancer and says she is \u201chaunted\u201d by her time at Blakehurst High after resigning in February after raising concerns about staff falling ill.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The head science teacher before her, Linda O\u2019Brien, passed away in 2023.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWe had, I don\u2019t know if I\u2019m allowed to say this, but three head teachers in a row with breast cancer,\u201d Ms Fabrizio said after being asked about the number of teachers that had fallen ill.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIt\u2019s either a cluster or it\u2019s extraordinarily bad luck. Like, you know, that\u2019s a curse level there.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Initial testing of the science facilities, including the storeroom, prep room, break rooms and science labs all came back clear but NSW Health has confirmed to The Nightly that an investigation is now underway.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThe South Eastern Sydney Local Health District is working with the NSW Department of Education to assess potential cancer risk associated with Blakehurst High School,\u201d a spokesperson for the South Eastern Sydney Local Health District said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cFollowing a request for assistance from the Education department, SESLHD will undertake an assessment, which includes interviewing affected staff members and gathering information about their illness to determine if there is an unexpected cancer incidence associated with the school warranting further investigation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cOnce this assessment is completed, the district\u2019s Public Health Unit will advise the Department of Education and the school community if there is any need for further investigation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cCancer is common in Australia. In most cases, an increase in cancer within a location reflects the variable incidence of cancer in the community, and no risk is associated with that location.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Cancer clusters have been defined as a genuine source of concern for local and state governments across Australia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n The term \u2018cancer cluster\u2019 refers to the occurrence of a specific cancer where the observed number of cases is more than the expected number of cases within a group of people in a geographic location over a period time, according to the official circular from Queensland Health<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cSuspected clusters are often reported by members of the general public who are concerned when a high number of cancer cases is diagnosed in their family, friends, neighbours or co-workers,\u201d the report states.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Certain cancer\u2019s can be included or excluded from consideration when health officials assess whether or not to do declare concerns of a concentration of a particular cancer developing in a community or workplace.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Suspected clusters of any malignant cancers can trigger a public health assessment according to the Queensland Health Non-Communicable Disease Cluster Assessment Guidelines of 2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Cancers that are non-malignant such as non-melanoma skin cancers and ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) of the breast are not included, because of the lack of reliable population data for these conditions according to the circular.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n When assessing to determine if an area may be deemed as a cancer cluster, various considerations must be factored in.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cInformation is gathered about the number of cases, age, sex, address, occupation, period of work or residence, age at diagnosis of cancer, type of cancer, the population potentially at risk (for example, all employees in the workplace) and any suspected exposure to potentially cancer-causing hazards,\u201d the advice states.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cThis information is evaluated based on the current knowledge of the cancer risk factors. The next step is to estimate the number of cancer cases that could be expected if the population within the suspected cluster had the same risk profile as the population, a process called epidemiological assessment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIn most cases, assessments are resolved upon evaluation of the initial information gathered.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Queensland Health experts have outlined the criteria to declare a cancer cluster, stating that at first impression the may not be confirmed as a cluster even if \u201can assessment shows that the reported number of cases is greater than the expected range for the population\u201d.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n A suspected cancer cluster is more likely to be a confirmed cluster if:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Cancer cluster\u2019s, like the disease, \u201cmay have occurred simply by chance as a pattern of random distribution\u201d according to the report.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cSchool and office environments generally do not contain significant carcinogenic hazards but asbestos can be a concern in older buildings and exposure to asbestos is known to cause lung cancer and mesothelioma.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cIt is not known to cause breast cancer, colorectal cancer or brain cancer which are the types of cancer more likely to be reported by people in these environments,\u201d the Queensland Health statement says.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n source : https:\/\/thenightly.com.au\/australia\/nsw-health-confirm-investigation-into-cancer-cluster-at-sydneys-blakehurst-high-school–c-20739851<\/a><\/p>\n\n\nThe NSW Premier has agreed to open an investigation into a possible cancer cluster at a Sydney high school.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nhttps:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=BLcNJP1Ya1I<\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWhat is a cancer cluster?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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