A recent study led by researchers at the Stony Brook WTC Health and Wellness Program has found that World Trade Center (WTC) responders with higher levels of toxic exposure at Ground Zero after the September 11 attacks have a significantly increased risk of developing lung cancer. The findings were published in JAMA Network Open and are based on health data from over 12,000 responders monitored at Stony Brook University.
The study analyzed data from July 2012 through the end of 2023, with an average participant age of 49.3 years. Researchers discovered that responders who experienced more severe exposures to WTC dust and chemicals had up to 2.9 times greater risk of developing lung cancer compared to those who reported low dust exposure or consistently used personal protective equipment (PPE).
“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),” said Sean Clouston, PhD, lead author and epidemiologist at Stony Brook University.
Clouston noted that the main exposures included dust, fumes from burning toxic materials, and sewage odors. Over the course of the study, 118 responders developed lung cancer. The incidence was highest among those with severe exposures and inconsistent PPE use, even after adjusting for demographic factors and smoking.
According to the authors, this is the first published study to link the type or severity of WTC exposure with lung cancer incidence in any WTC-affected population. Co-author Paolo Boffetta, MD, MPH, Associate Director for Population Sciences in the Stony Brook Cancer Center, explained, “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.”
The research team plans to continue investigating lung cancer incidence in WTC responders as more time passes since the initial exposures. Their next steps include improving measures of exposure to identify which types are most relevant to lung cancer, validating reported exposures, and examining whether the lung cancers identified differ in severity and type.
To address the increased risk, the investigators recommend tobacco control efforts and participation in lung cancer screenings to help prevent disease or allow for early detection.
The study received funding from the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control.