World Trade Center first responders have a significantly higher rate of leukemia and other cancers , including those of the thyroid and prostate , nearly two decennary after the fire on September 11 , 2001 , new research hint .
The determination sum up to a grow body ofevidencethat has foundhigher ratesof malignant neoplastic disease in those who arrived and worked at Ground Zero in the months following the attack . However , this is the first time that research worker have connect presence at the view with “ statistically substantial superlative ” of cancer of the blood cases . The findings are reported inJNCI Cancer Spectrum .
An forecast 50,000 rescue and retrieval personnel arrive at the picture , during which clip many were exposed directly to dust containing dangerous chemicals – such as asbestos , benzene , polychlorinated biphenyls – from the collapsing towers . Cleanup at the site continued for 10 months , further exposing worker to toxins later shown to have adverse health effects , including Cancer the Crab .
To come to their conclusion , researchers at Mount Sinai analyzed the fount of more than 28,000 workers register with theGeneral Responder Cohort , a federally fund aesculapian monitoring and treatment programme , and liken it with cancer register from across six states between 2002 and 2013 . Of the first answerer , 85 percentage were males who worked namely in grammatical construction or law enforcement – half of the responders reported at least some level of exposure to dust cloud stimulate by the collapse .
Specifically , researcher found the mien of 1,072 cancers in 999 responders . Though cancer rates may have been linked to other risk component such as long time , gender , and smoking riding habit , the research worker say that the " complex , sustained photograph and the unknown long - term health effects … are matters of national concern . " Neither the length of time forge on the website nor the intensity of exposure seemed to impact the high peril of developing certain cancers , but the researchers note that wearing protective equipment or respirators may have play a role in deoxidise exposure to carcinogens .
" This study show increased relative incidence of several cancer eccentric equate to previously conducted studies with poor follow - up periods , " state Dr Susan Teitelbaum , prof of environmental medicine and public health at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and one of the lead author , in astatement . " Because of the long latency period of many types of Crab , it is possible that increase pace of other cancers , as well as World Trade Center exposure health issues , may emerge after longer catamenia of study . "
The findings are of particular relevance as Crab is classified as a WTC - tie in term by theNational Institute for Occupational Safety and Health , mean those who have been diagnosed with the condition are eligible for federally funded treatment .
