Cancer and medical complications rise for 9/11 survivors, CDC report says



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Former “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart (2nd from right) watches US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (R), D-NY, chats with advocate John Feal (C) of 9/11 health, and 9/11 first responders, survivors and their families, at a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on February 25, 2019, to discuss the document’s introduction bipartite “Never forget the heroes: permanent authorization of the law of September 11 on the Compensation Fund for victims” and to call for its swift passage.

Jim Watson | AFP | Getty Images

Cancer diagnoses and medical complications have skyrocketed over the past eight years for 9/11 survivors and first responders who inhaled toxic debris in the wake of terrorist attacks, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention .

Of the 104,223 enrolled in the World Trade Center Health Program, a federal benefit plan for survivors and responders, 58% of all program members contracted at least one illness caused by 9/11 in the year last, according to the CDC’s latest Morbidity and Mortality report. Weekly report. Sept. 11-related cancers among members increased by more than 1,000%, from 1,870 confirmed cases in 2013 to 20,612 cases in 2020, according to the research.

“WTC’s continued research has led to a better understanding of 9/11 exposures and physical and mental health associations for its members,” the report said.

The MMWR did not compare its findings on cancerous and non-cancerous conditions to the general population, but a 2018 CDC study predicted that New York City firefighters who worked at Ground Zero “would suffer a burden of cancer. greater than that expected from a demographically similar population. . “

The researchers wrote that they expected more prostate cancer, thyroid cancer and melanoma in the sample of 12,374 white male firefighters.

Non-cancerous limb health problems increased from 28,126 certified medical conditions in 2012 to 50,611 in 2020, an increase of 80%. The program calculated an average of 2.7 9/11 health problems per member and added that about 400,000 people came into contact with dangerous pollutants after the attacks, increasing their risk of medical complications.

Founded in 2011 with funds from the Zadroga Law, the World Trade Center health program covers “medical screening, surveillance and treatment” of people whose 9/11-related illnesses have been assessed by a clinical provider and certified. by program staff, the MMWR. noted. The program saw a 62% increase in the number of patients receiving treatment, from 25,553 in 2012 to 41,387 in 2020, which corresponds to an increase of almost 68% in the number of enrollments during the same period. period.

Last year alone, the CDC reported that nearly 31% of cancer patients in the program had skin cancer, over 23% faced cancer affecting the male genital system, and nearly 12% had “neoplasms in situ” or cancers that had not yet spread. Cancer of the digestive system and breast cancer each accounted for about 8% of patients.

But of the 50,611 registrants facing non-cancerous illnesses in 2020, 46,072 patients developed respiratory and digestive problems, while 18,450 members reported mental health issues, including PTSD, depression, anxiety. and drug addiction. Members can have conditions in more than one group.

And with the increasing age of registrants, the report predicted an increase in the use and cost of its services. Chronic diseases and co-morbidities more common in the elderly could make treating 9/11-related conditions even more difficult, according to the report.

“The results of this report underscore the need for continued research efforts due to the persistent and emerging health issues associated with WTC in an aging population,” the study said.

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