The health effects of the Sept. 11 attacks, 25 years later

Nearly 3,000 people died in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, but 25 years later, tens of thousands of Americans are suffering health complications.

More and more Americans are being found with cancers linked to the attacks, according to data from the World Trade Center Health Program, which provides care for survivors and responders.

Over the past 12 months, more than 10,000 new cases of cancer have been identified, the World Trade Center Health Program says.

The health concerns tied to the attacks gained fresh attention this week, and not only with the 25th anniversary of the attacks in New York, the Washington D.C. area, and Pennsylvania.

This week, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released thousands of new records that reveal city officials didn’t disclose the full data on air quality after the attacks, CNN reported.

This year, for the first time, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum has added a moment of silence at the annual commemoration ceremony to honor the thousands of Americans who have died from health effects of the attacks and their aftermath.

Serving survivors, seeking more

In a video message commemorating the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, Dr. John Howard, administrator of the World Trade Center Health Program, notes that the toll continues to grow.

“Tragically, many more men and women have lost their lives because of the health impacts of that disaster,” Howard said in the video.

Many Americans, from firefighters to those in New York City on that horrific day, are struggling with their health. Last week, New York Gov. George Pataki, who was in office during the terrorist attacks, told The New York Post that he is suffering from lung disease linked to his exposure at the World Trade Center.

The World Trade Center Health Program is run under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The program is authorized by Congress to run until the year 2090.

Nearly 150,000 people are being served by the program.

“We remain dedicated to supporting our members while continuing our efforts to reach many more survivors and responders who may not yet realize their health conditions could be linked to 9/11 and that help is available to them,” Howard said.

The World Trade Center Health Program published a paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association Thursday assessing the lingering health impact from the terrorist attacks.

“Twenty-five years later, the enduring health effects of 9/11 exposures remain chronic, evolving, and clinically significant,” the program’s authors wrote. They added, “Individuals directly exposed to the 9/11 attacks have a greater prevalence of chronic conditions and poorer health-related quality of life compared with the general population.”

Cancer cases rising

Over the course of the World Trade Center Health Program, more than 57,000 individuals - both survivors and responders - have been identified as having cancer, according to the World Trade Center Health Program. Cancer is the most common health condition tied to the attacks. About half of the survivors currently enrolled in the program have a cancer diagnosis.

More Americans are dealing with cancers tied to Sept. 11, 2001. The number of Americans of 9/11 survivors getting aid for cancer care has roughly tripled in the past five years, a Washington Post analysis of federal data found.

Other researchers have identified a sharp uptick in cancers tied to the Sept. 11 attacks. A study published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that cancers among World Trade Center survivors has risen 2.5-fold over the last five years, “highlighting a major cancer burden 25 years after 9/11.”

Other diseases

Chronic Rhinosinusitis is the second most common condition, with more than 42,000 cases, according to the World Trade Center Health Program.

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (over 42,000 cases) and asthma (more than 39,000) rank just behind. Thousands of cases of chronic respiratory disorder and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPE) have also been tied to the Sept. 11 attacks.

The World Trade Center Health Program says continued research and monitoring of those impacted by the attacks is essential.

“Twenty-five years after the attacks, continued longitudinal follow-up of exposed populations suggests that disaster-related health effects can emerge and evolve over decades,” the program’s researchers wrote in the JAMA paper.

In his video message on the World Trade Center Health Program site, Howard is encouraging others to share information about the program to those who may not be aware of it.

“If you were there, we are here,” he said.