New York – The World Trade Center Health Program, the federal medical‑benefits system created after the 2001 attacks, reports a sharp rise in cancer diagnoses among its enrollees. According to CDC data, about half of the 54,000 survivors who qualify for assistance now have cancer, roughly three times the number recorded five years earlier.
Why the increase matters
Experts say the rise reflects both the aging of the survivor population and the lingering effects of the toxic dust cloud that settled over Lower Manhattan and surrounding boroughs after the towers collapsed. The dust contained pulverized building materials, jet‑fuel by‑products and heavy metals such as cadmium, lead and mercury, all known carcinogens.
Dr. Alan Arslan, a cancer epidemiologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, describes the disaster as “one of the largest man‑made disasters in United States history” with a “very complex exposure to many, many potential carcinogens, including asbestos.”
Sentinel cancers signal a broader burden
Among the cancers observed, mesothelioma – a rare, aggressive cancer linked directly to asbestos exposure – is emerging as a sentinel indicator. Dr. Jacqueline Moline, director of the program at Northwell Health, notes that 38 mesothelioma cases have been diagnosed among the roughly 155,000 people enrolled to date, an incidence about three times higher than in the general population.
Because mesothelioma has a clear cause‑and‑effect relationship with asbestos, researchers view it as a harbinger of the larger cancer burden that will likely follow. “Rates are only going to go up,” Moline said, adding that the trend foreshadows the challenges ahead for survivors.
Program enrollment and outreach
The program, which began in 2012, now receives about 120 new patients each month. While first responders initially comprised the majority of enrollees, survivor registrations have recently outpaced those of emergency personnel. In 2024 and 2025, roughly twice as many survivors as first responders signed up, according to CDC figures.
Dr. Leigh Wilson, director of the World Trade Center Environmental Center, emphasizes that many survivors remain unaware of their eligibility. “It’s very well understood that first responders are eligible, but a lot of survivors don’t realize they are eligible,” she said.
Personal stories illustrate the risk
One survivor, a man who was 23 at the time of the attacks, lived just a few blocks from the towers. He recalled dust coating his apartment for more than a month and reported no other major risk factors such as smoking or obesity. In 2016, at age 38, he was diagnosed with abdominal‑wall mesothelioma. After aggressive surgery and heated intraperitoneal chemotherapy, he remained alive at the time of a 2024 study that documented his case.
Looking ahead
Researchers caution that the latency period for many asbestos‑related cancers can span 25 to 50 years. Dr. Raja Flores of Mount Sinai Health System warns that mesothelioma, while not the most common cancer among survivors, is especially deadly and may signal further health challenges as the cohort ages.
The federal program continues to monitor health outcomes, fund research and provide treatment options for those affected. As the survivor population ages, officials stress the importance of early detection, continued medical support and public awareness of eligibility for benefits.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
