9/11 cancers skyrocket nearly 1,700% ahead of 25th anniversary

Key Points:

• The number of cancer cases among 9/11 survivors and responders has surged 1,680% over the past decade, rising from 3,204 in 2015 to 57,044 in 2024, according to the World Trade Center Health Program.
• For the first time, cancer cases among survivors living, working, or attending school near Ground Zero have surpassed those of emergency responders, with survivors accounting for 28,913 cases—a 4,066% increase since 2015.
• Rare cancers, including thymus gland cancer, neuroendocrine tumors, male breast cancer, and brain cancer, have been increasingly diagnosed among 9/11 victims, attributed partly to prolonged exposure to toxic air and the aging population.
• Approximately 67% of the 145,275 members of the World Trade Center Health Program have been certified for at least one cancer linked to 9/11 toxins, significantly higher than the national cancer rate of about 40%.
• Despite the growing health crisis, only about 15% of civilians exposed to 9/11 toxins have enrolled in the health program; experts emphasize early detection and encourage affected individuals to join for monitoring and treatment.