Study Hints At Potential Increased Risk Of Cancer Among 9/11 Rescue Workers

Thousands of people who worked on rescue and recovery following the 2001 9/11 terrorist attacks may be at increased risk of prostate cancer, thyroid cancer, and myeloma, a new study suggests.

Researchers have already found links between 9/11-disaster exposure and increased risks of asthma, stress-related mental health problems, and heart disease in previous studies. Now, officials from the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene are analyzing data from the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Registry to determine possible effects, if any, of the Twin Towers’ collapse on cancer risk.

“Dust, debris, and fumes from the WTC contained known and suspected carcinogens, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, asbestos, benzene, and dioxins,” the researchers write in their article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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