Tag Archives: cancer
What Were the Toxic Substances in the 9/11 World Trade Center Dust?
If there is a single image of what happened on September 11, 2001 in New York City, it is the still-standing World Trade Center (WTC) towers burning with a trail of smoke pouring out of what had to be unimaginable horror inside. But a full dozen years after the towers fell, the dust cloud from […]
Lung Injuries Resulting from the 9/11 Attacks
In the moments, days, weeks and months following the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) in 2001, clouds of dust enveloped Lower Manhattan. As the debris was cleared from the site, that same dust found its way to the Fresh Kills landfill on Staten Island. Thousands of first responders inhaled this dust, […]
The Cancers Left Out in the Cold
Now that prostate cancer has been added to the list of illnesses covered by the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, those afflicted with cancers not yet recognized as 9/11-related may feel a renewed hope that their form of cancer may follow suit. Unfortunately, for some forms of cancer, even if that recognition comes, it […]
9/11 Volunteers Eligible for Medical Treatment Benefits
In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, it has become a well-known fact that first-responders and other workers at the cleanup of the fallen World Trade Center towers were exposed to dangerous toxins in the debris and dust. Many were affected in the days and months following 9/11. However, many more have and are likely […]
Ground Zero and Cancer: The Surprising Side
As the years have gone by since the 9/11 disaster, studies have repeatedly demonstrated an increased rate of many cancers among emergency responders and other survivors who had breathed the toxic dust at Ground Zero. Except one. Somewhat surprisingly, statistics show 9/11 responders have experienced a lower rate of lung cancer than would be expected […]
Prostate Cancer Now Eligible for Zadroga Benefits
Less than three weeks before the deadline for registering under the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health officially added prostate cancer to the list of diseases eligible for compensation. The move also means those afflicted with 9/11-related prostate cancer are eligible for free care under the World Trade Center […]
Taking Its Toll: Death of a Volunteer
Photographer Adan Gonzalez arrived at the WTC site as a volunteer. He worked to document the effort and support other volunteers and responders on-site. In May of this year, Mr. Gonzalez died of throat cancer he believed was caused by on-site exposure to toxins. Although the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approved […]
No Surprise Here: 9/11 Responders at Higher Risk for Cancer
Cancer rates are 15 percent higher in 9/11 responders than in the general population, according to a recent Mount Sinai Hospital’s World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP) report. Epidemiologists examined data collected from 20,984 participants between 2001 and 2008, finding 575 cases of cancer instead of the expected 499. Thyroid, prostate and blood cancers (like […]
