Cancer Risk from Exposure to World Trade Center Debris Remains Poorly Defined

A huge cohort study showed no overall excess risk, but some cancers were more prevalent among recovery workers.

The long term health sequelae of the World Trade Center (WTC) collapse are still being assessed in several ongoing cohort studies, one of which recently made news when it showed higher than expected rates of cancer in individuals with intense exposure to WTC debris (Lancet 2011; 378:898). Now, investigators have reexamined these findings using state registries to identify incident cancer cases diagnosed from 2003 through 2008 among >20,000 WTC rescue and recovery workers.

The overall cancer rate was no different than expected. However, a subanalysis showed that rates of prostate cancer, thyroid cancer, and multiple myeloma were higher during the last years of follow-up among workers, whereas no such elevations were identified in an equally l…

Reviewing Author

Abigail Zuger, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Abigail Zuger, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose