Firefighters working at the World Trade Center during 9/11 are 13% more likely to develop cancer

Firefighters working at the World Trade Center (WTC) are more likely to develop cancer than those not working at Ground Zero.

The researchers found that New York City firefighters who were on the scene during and after the Sept. 11 attacks were 13% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer, especially prostate and thyroid cancer.

In addition, the men were about four years younger when the disease was detected compared to their colleagues who also had cancer.

The team, led by New York City firefighters, said that while the study cannot determine the cause, it shows the immense risk that first responders fought the flames and smoke during the deadliest ground attack in the United States.

The researchers compared 10,786 firefighters working at the WTC site with 8,813 firefighters not working at the site and found that WTC firefighters were 13% more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than their colleagues. Pictured: Firefighters walk to one of the World Trade Center towers before it collapses on September 11

Researchers say firefighters are often exposed to toxins and carcinogens (substances that can cause cancer) while they are working.

However, Ground Zero immediately after the attacks was a particularly toxic environment.

Men were exposed to asbestos, arsenic, benzene, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from sulfuric acid, a class of chemicals that occur naturally in coal, crude oil, and gasoline. and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are artificial chemicals.

It is known that all these minerals and chemicals increase the risk of cancer.

For the study, published in the journal Occupational & Environmental Medicine, the team examined 10,786 firefighters who worked at the WTC site during and after the 9/11 attacks.

They were compared to 8,813 firefighters who did not work at the site and who participated in the Career Firefighter Health Study.

Firefighters were followed until his death or in December 2016.

The researchers found 915 cases of cancer in 841 WTC firefighters and 1,002 cases in 909 CFHS firefighters.

They determined that firefighters working on 9/11 were 13% more likely to develop cancer than firefighters who did not belong to the WTC.

WTC firefighters had higher rates for all cancers, including kidney cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, prostate cancer, and thyroid cancer.

Rates of all cancers were high, but FDNY firefighters were more likely, especially to develop prostate cancer (upper left and thyroid cancer at a younger age).

Prostate cancer and thyroid cancer had especially high rates, with 1.39 times higher and 2.53 times higher.

‘Some proportion of the excess risk of prostate cancer may be due [World Trade Center] exposure in addition to the usual fire – fighting risks, as some chemicals, such as PCBs, are commonly found in construction sites, including [World Trade Center], are known endocrine disruptors, which interfere with androgen metabolism, “the authors wrote.

‘Alternatively, high rates of some cancers, including thyroid and prostate cancers, could have been the result of non-biological factors such as enrollment in screening programs, especially [World Trade Center]related health programs. “

In addition, WTC firefighters were diagnosed at an average age of 55.6 years.

The authors point out that the study is observational and cannot definitively say that working at Ground Zero caused cancers for firefighters.

However, ‘two decades after 9/11, it is better understood [World Trade Center]-related risk requires extensive monitoring and modeling studies (laboratory or animal-based) to identify workplace exposures in all firefighters ’, they write.