Over 150 cancer cases in NC State students linked to PCB contamination in Poe Hall

North Carolina State University alumni who attended classes at Poe Hall may have been exposed to PCBs, a possible carcinogen, as cancer cases among former students have risen to 150. Chancellor Randy Woodson and Vice Chancellor Warwick Arden closed Poe Hall after PCBs were detected in building materials, prompting comprehensive testing. PCBs are known to negatively affect various systems in the body. N.C. State conducted initial testing in response to an employee’s health concerns in August 2023. The school is not formally collecting health data, but is cooperating with NIOSH for a health hazard evaluation. Poe Hall previously tested positive for PCBs in 2018 during a waterproofing project. The building was named after Clarence Hamilton Poe, a promoter of agriculture and education. Alumni have expressed concerns about the potential connection between Poe Hall and their cancer diagnoses. Christie Lewis, a former student, was diagnosed with thyroid and angiosarcoma cancer while attending N.C. State. She only realized the potential exposure to PCBs after reports surfaced regarding the building. The timeline of events at Poe Hall spans from its construction in 1972 to recent discoveries and actions taken in 2024. N.C. State is conducting an ongoing investigation into the building’s safety and will continue to provide updates to the community.

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