A team of scientists at Mount Sinai Medical Center have discovered a positive correlation between cancer rates and exposure to World Trade Center debris. While a more definitive study is a long way off, the findings show a fifteen percent increase in prostate, blood, and thyroid cancers among rescue teams compared to baseline statistics from non-responders.
Co-author Dr. Jacqueline Moline explains, "Just seven years after the attack, our study has shown an increase in cancer even at this early stage. The fact that we are seeing early increases in many types of cancers makes it all the more critical for us to be vigilant in our medical surveillance of anyone who had WTC exposure and provide treatment for them if necessary."
The data was drawn from a pool of 20,984 people registered in the WTC Health program, according to the New York Daily News.
However, researcher Samara Solan warns that "findings in this study, while significant, should be interpreted with caution given the short follow-up and long latency period for most cancers; the intensive medical surveillance of this cohort by Mount Sinai researchers and our partners; and the small numbers of cancers at specific sites."
Take note that the study is still ongoing, so expect further developments as time progresses and scientists gain access to a more comprehensive landscape of data.
The study was originally published in the Environmental Health Perspectives.