Almost 25 years after the 9/11 attacks, many people who helped with the rescue and cleanup at the World Trade Center site—known as Ground Zero—are still facing serious health problems.
One of the most concerning issues is lung cancer. A new study from the Stony Brook World Trade Center (WTC) Health and Wellness Program has found that people with more exposure to harmful dust and chemicals at Ground Zero are nearly three times more likely to develop lung cancer than those who had minimal exposure.
This study is the first of its kind to show a direct link between the level of toxic exposure at Ground Zero and lung cancer risk.
The results were published in JAMA Network Open and included health data from more than 12,000 responders. These individuals were monitored from mid-2012 to the end of 2023, and their average age was just over 49 years.
Dr. Sean Clouston, the lead author of the study, said that people who were exposed to large amounts of dust, smoke from burning materials, and even sewage odors were at the highest risk. Many of these people either did not wear personal protective equipment (PPE) or only used it some of the time.
Among all responders in the study, 118 developed lung cancer during the study period. Those who had the most exposure and little or no use of PPE had the highest rates of cancer, even after accounting for things like age and smoking history.
This is important because earlier studies did not find a connection between lung cancer and 9/11 exposure. One reason is that cancer can take many years to develop, and earlier research may not have had enough time to show the full picture.
Also, many of the responders were not heavy smokers, which can make it harder to see the impact of 9/11 exposures alone.
Dr. Paolo Boffetta, a co-author of the study, emphasized the importance of continuing this research. As more time passes, more cases of cancer may appear.
The research team hopes to better understand which specific substances or exposure types caused the greatest harm. They also want to learn more about the types and severity of lung cancer in this group.
To help reduce the number of future cancer cases, the researchers recommend two things: stop smoking and take part in regular lung cancer screenings. Catching the disease early could save lives.
This study highlights the lasting impact of 9/11 on the health of those who risked their lives to help others. Their bravery should be honored with proper medical care and ongoing research.
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The study is published in JAMA Network Open.
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