Cancer cases among 9/11 survivors surge nearly 25 years later - report
First responders and other New Yorkers who were near Ground Zero that day have also reported a range of other conditions, including respiratory illnesses, mental health impacts, and dementia.
Two and a half decades after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, a surge of cancer cases among survivors has been confirmed. In the five years leading up to 2026, the number of 9/11 survivors receiving aid for cancer treatment increased from 8,870 to 27,300, with cancer becoming one of the most common health issues among those receiving care through the World Trade Center Health Program (WTCHP).
About half of the approximately 54,000 survivors treated by the WTCHP in 2026 are receiving assistance for cancer-related expenses, up from 35% in 2021. Mayor Zohran Mamdani emphasized the city's responsibility to support those affected by the attacks, with the 2027 city budget allocating millions of dollars to create an online portal for New Yorkers to access relevant city documents.
Despite the long-term physical and mental health impacts of the attacks, a recent FDNY World Trade Center Health Program report revealed that FDNY members with cancer enrolled in the WTCHP were more likely to survive compared to non-WTCHP cancer patients. However, six percent of exposed FDNY rescue and recovery workers still meet the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 2026, compared to roughly three percent of the general population.
A major health study targeting the city's children, who were exposed to the toxic cloud and pollutants in the days following the attacks, is set to begin in 2027 with the help of a $50 million grant from the CDC.
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