Summary
A new study finds that people who worked at the World Trade Center (WTC) after 9/11 and had heavy dust exposure were nearly three times more likely to develop lung cancer.
This study looked at 12,334 people who helped with rescue, cleanup, or rebuilding work at the WTC after the September 11, 2001 attacks. The researchers wanted to know if dust, debris, and toxic fumes at the site increased the risk of lung cancer many years later.
All participants were free of lung cancer to start and were followed from 2012 to 2023. The scientists asked detailed questions about what the workers experienced — how much dust and debris they breathed, whether they smelled fumes or sewage, what kinds of jobs they did, and whether they used protective gear like respirators.
Over the follow-up period, 118 people developed lung cancer. Compared with those who reported the lowest exposure (“mild”), those with moderate exposure had 1.86 times the risk of lung cancer; those with severe exposure had 2.90 times the risk. That means heavy exposure nearly tripled the chance of lung cancer even when accounting for age, smoking history, and other factors.
The increased cancer risk was linked not just to visible dust but also to inhaling fumes, sewage or chemical smells during cleanup work.
The researchers conclude that serious exposure during WTC cleanup is associated with a much higher chance of lung cancer a decade or more later. They suggest future work should examine which specific exposures (dust, fumes, tasks) are the most harmful and whether closer health monitoring or protective measures might reduce the risk.
