A recent study led by the Stony Brook WTC Health and Wellness Program has found a significant increase in lung cancer rates among first responders exposed to toxic materials at Ground Zero after the September 11, 2001 attacks. The research, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed health data from more than 12,000 responders monitored at Stony Brook’s program between July 2012 and the end of 2023. The average age of participants was 49.3 years.
According to Sean Clouston, lead author and director of research for the Program in Public Health at Stony Brook University, “We discovered that responders with more severe exposures to WTC dust had up to 2.9 times greater risk of developing lung cancer compared to minimally exposed responders working on the pile who reported low dust exposure or used personal protective equipment (PPE).”
Clouston explained that primary exposures included dust, fumes from burning toxic materials, and sewage odors. Over the course of the study period, 118 responders developed lung cancer. The highest incidence was observed among those with severe exposure to dust and chemicals who did not consistently use PPE. These results remained significant even after adjusting for factors such as age and smoking history.
The authors state this is the first published study linking specific types or severity of World Trade Center exposures with increased lung cancer incidence in affected populations.
Co-author Paolo Boffetta, associate director for population sciences at Stony Brook Cancer Center and professor in the Department of Family, Population, and Preventive Medicine at RSOM, noted: “Previous studies did not identify any such link between lung cancer and WTC responders because of the short latency of exposures and low smoking rates in WTC responder populations.”
Researchers plan further investigations into which types of exposures are most closely linked to lung cancer risk among responders. They also aim to validate reported exposure types and assess whether identified cancers differ by severity or type.
To address these risks, investigators recommend tobacco control efforts and participation in regular lung cancer screenings for early detection among World Trade Center responder populations.
The study received funding support from the National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control.
