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Thompson HM, Yung J, Li J, Cone J. Colorectal cancer screening: results from the World Trade Center Health Registry cohort. Cancer Causes Control 2024; 35:1355-1365. [PMID: 38907087 DOI: 10.1007/s10552-024-01895-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/23/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Little is known about colorectal cancer screening in 9/11 World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed populations. We utilized survey data from the WTC Health Registry (WTCHR) to examine associations between enrollees' characteristics and colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. METHODS We studied 22,061 enrollees aged 50-75 who completed the WTCHR follow-up survey in 2015-2016. Those with a history of CRC were excluded. Screening was defined as a self-reported, routine colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy during the 12-month period prior to the survey. Multivariable log binomial regression identified factors associated with screening in the 12 months preceding the survey. We also stratified by age group. RESULTS Of 22,061 enrollees, 23% were screened, with largely similar rates across age groups. Higher screening percentages were seen in selected groups including non-Hispanic Black enrollees (26.4%), males (24.3%), those married/living with a partner (24.1%), those with a higher household income (≥ $150 k, 25.4%), those who received services from the WTC Health Program (25.6%), and those with greater perceived social support (24.4%). On multivariable analyses, non-Hispanic Black enrollees [adjusted relative risk (aRR) = 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-1.42] were significantly more likely to report screening, even after stratifying by age group. Hispanic enrollees, those with a higher household income, those with increased perceived social support, and those with diagnosed medical conditions under 70 years old were also associated with screening. CONCLUSION We found that non-Hispanic Black compared with non-Hispanic White enrollees were more likely to obtain screening for CRC. Continued efforts to promote health and wellness of WTC-exposed population is essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah M Thompson
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Climate Science, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Janette Yung
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, Long Island City, NY, USA
| | - Jiehui Li
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, Long Island City, NY, USA
| | - James Cone
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, Long Island City, NY, USA.
- World Trade Center Health Registry, 30-30 47th Avenue, Room 414, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA.
- World Trade Center Health Registry, 42-09 28th Street, CN-6W, Long Island City, NY, 11101, USA.
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Zeig-Owens R, Prezant DJ. Managing cancer following the World Trade Center disaster. Nat Rev Cancer 2024:10.1038/s41568-024-00730-6. [PMID: 39261720 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-024-00730-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Zeig-Owens
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Bronx, NY, USA
- Montefiore Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - David J Prezant
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Montefiore Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
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Kehm RD, Li J, Cone JE. Racial and ethnic disparities in mortality among World Trade Center Health Registry enrollees with post-9/11 cancer. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e70071. [PMID: 39190574 PMCID: PMC11348902 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.70071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There are well-documented racial and ethnic disparities in mortality after cancer in the general population, but less is known about whether disparities also exist in disaster-exposed populations. METHODS We conducted a longitudinal cohort study of 4341 enrollees in the World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR) with a first-ever primary invasive cancer diagnosis after 9/11/2001 and followed through 2020. We examined associations of race and ethnicity with all-cause mortality risk and cause-specific mortality risk using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models and Fine and Gray's proportional sub-distribution hazards models, respectively. Models were adjusted for baseline characteristics and tumor characteristics. We also examined models further adjusted for socioeconomic status (SES), and we used inverse odds weighting to formally test for mediation by SES. RESULTS Compared to non-Hispanic White enrollees with cancer, non-Hispanic Blacks had higher risks for all-cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 1.20, 95% CI = 1.02-1.41) and non-cancer mortality (aHR = 1.48, 95% CI = 1.09-2.01) in the full model. In the model without SES, Hispanic enrollees with cancer had higher risks for all-cause mortality (aHR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.09-1.60) and cancer mortality (aHR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.05-1.64) compared to non-Hispanic Whites; these associations became not statistically significant in the full model. In the inverse odds weighting analysis, SES explained 24% and 29% of the disparity in all-cause mortality risk observed in non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics, respectively, compared to non-Hispanic Whites. CONCLUSION This study found that there are racial and ethnic disparities in mortality after cancer in the WTCHR. Additional studies are needed to further explore the factors mediating these disparities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca D. Kehm
- New York City Department of Health and Mental HygieneWorld Trade Center Health RegistryLong Island CityNew YorkUSA
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public HealthColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Jiehui Li
- New York City Department of Health and Mental HygieneWorld Trade Center Health RegistryLong Island CityNew YorkUSA
| | - James E. Cone
- New York City Department of Health and Mental HygieneWorld Trade Center Health RegistryLong Island CityNew YorkUSA
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Tuminello S, Ashebir YA, Schroff C, Ramaswami S, Durmus N, Chen Y, Snuderl M, Shao Y, Reibman J, Arslan AA. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiles and breast cancer among World Trade Center survivors. Environ Epidemiol 2024; 8:e313. [PMID: 38841706 PMCID: PMC11152787 DOI: 10.1097/ee9.0000000000000313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Increased incidence of cancer has been reported among World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed persons. Aberrant DNA methylation is a hallmark of cancer development. To date, only a few small studies have investigated the relationship between WTC exposure and DNA methylation. The main objective of this study was to assess the DNA methylation profiles of WTC-exposed community members who remained cancer free and those who developed breast cancer. Methods WTC-exposed women were selected from the WTC Environmental Health Center clinic, with peripheral blood collected during routine clinical monitoring visits. The reference group was selected from the NYU Women's Health Study, a prospective cohort study with blood samples collected before 9 November 2001. The Infinium MethylationEPIC array was used for global DNA methylation profiling, with adjustments for cell type composition and other confounders. Annotated probes were used for biological pathway and network analysis. Results A total of 64 WTC-exposed (32 cancer free and 32 with breast cancer) and 32 WTC-unexposed (16 cancer free and 16 with prediagnostic breast cancer) participants were included. Hypermethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine probe sites (defined as β > 0.8) were more common among WTC-exposed versus unexposed participants (14.3% vs. 4.5%, respectively, among the top 5000 cytosine-phosphate-guanine sites). Cancer-related pathways (e.g., human papillomavirus infection, cGMP-PKG) were overrepresented in WTC-exposed groups (breast cancer patients and cancer-free subjects). Compared to the unexposed breast cancer patients, 47 epigenetically dysregulated genes were identified among WTC-exposed breast cancers. These genes formed a network, including Wnt/β-catenin signaling genes WNT4 and TCF7L2, and dysregulation of these genes contributes to cancer immune evasion. Conclusion WTC exposure likely impacts DNA methylation and may predispose exposed individuals toward cancer development, possibly through an immune-mediated mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Tuminello
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
| | - Yibeltal Arega Ashebir
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
| | - Chanel Schroff
- Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
| | - Sitharam Ramaswami
- Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
| | - Nedim Durmus
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
| | - Yu Chen
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
- NYU Perlmutter Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York City, New York
| | - Matija Snuderl
- Department of Pathology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
| | - Yongzhao Shao
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
- NYU Perlmutter Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York City, New York
| | - Joan Reibman
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
- Division of Environmental Medicine, Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
| | - Alan A. Arslan
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
- NYU Perlmutter Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York City, New York
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York
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Khalifeh M, Goldfarb DG, Zeig-Owens R, Todd AC, Shapiro MZ, Carwile M, Dasaro CR, Li J, Yung J, Farfel MR, Brackbill RM, Cone JE, Qiao B, Schymura MJ, Prezant DJ, Hall C, Boffetta P. Cancer incidence in World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers by race and ethnicity. Am J Ind Med 2023; 66:1048-1055. [PMID: 37746817 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.23539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION It is unclear whether differences in health outcomes by racial and ethnic groups among World Trade Center (WTC) rescue and recovery workers reflect those of the population of New York State (NYS) or show distinct patterns. We assessed cancer incidence in WTC workers by self-reported race and ethnicity, and compared it to population figures for NYS. METHODS A total of 61,031 WTC workers enrolled between September 11, 2001 and January 10, 2012 were followed to December 31, 2015. To evaluate the association between race/ethnicity and cancer risk, Poisson regression analysis was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) adjusted for WTC exposure, age, calendar year, sex and, for lung cancer, cigarette smoking. RESULTS In comparison to Whites, Black workers had a higher incidence of prostate cancer (HR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.69-2.34) and multiple myeloma (HR = 3.57, 95% CI = 1.97-6.45), and a lower incidence of thyroid (HR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.22-0.78) and colorectal cancer (HR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.33-0.98). Hispanic workers had a higher incidence of liver cancer (HR = 4.03, 95% CI = 2.23-7.28). Compared with NYS population, White workers had significantly higher incidence of prostate cancer (HR = 1.26, 95% CI = 1.18-1.35) and thyroid cancer (HR = 1.80, 95% CI = 1.55-2.08), while Black workers had significantly higher incidence of prostate cancer (HR = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.05-1.40). CONCLUSION Cancer incidence in WTC workers generally reflects data from the NYS population, but some differences were identified that merit further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malak Khalifeh
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - David G Goldfarb
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, New York, USA
| | - Rachel Zeig-Owens
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Andrew C Todd
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Moshe Z Shapiro
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Madeline Carwile
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Christopher R Dasaro
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jiehui Li
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Long Island City, New York, USA
| | - Janette Yung
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Long Island City, New York, USA
| | - Mark R Farfel
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Long Island City, New York, USA
| | - Robert M Brackbill
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Long Island City, New York, USA
| | - James E Cone
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Long Island City, New York, USA
| | - Baozhen Qiao
- New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Cancer Epidemiology, Albany, New York, USA
| | - Maria J Schymura
- New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Cancer Epidemiology, Albany, New York, USA
| | - David J Prezant
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Charles Hall
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York, USA
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, New York, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | - Paolo Boffetta
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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Goldfarb DG, Hall CB, Choi J, Zeig-Owens R, Cohen HW, Cannon M, Prezant DJ, Weiden MD. Association of Lung Function Decline with All-Cause and Cancer-Cause Mortality after World Trade Center Dust Exposure. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2023; 20:1136-1143. [PMID: 36961515 PMCID: PMC10405606 DOI: 10.1513/annalsats.202212-1011oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Rationale: In numerous cohorts, lung function decline is associated with all-cause and cardiovascular-cause mortality, but the association between the decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and cancer-cause mortality, particularly after occupational/environmental exposure(s), is unclear. Exposure to dust/smoke from the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster caused inflammation and lung injury in Fire Department of the City of New York rescue/recovery workers. In addition, prior research found that >10% of the cohort experienced greater than twice the age-related decrease in FEV1 (⩾64 ml/yr). Objectives: To evaluate the association of longitudinal lung function with all-cause and cancer-cause mortality after exposure to the WTC disaster. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study using longitudinal prebronchodilator FEV1 data for 12,264 WTC-exposed firefighters and emergency medical service providers. All-cause and cancer-cause mortality were ascertained using National Death Index data from September 12, 2001, through December 31, 2021. Joint longitudinal survival models evaluated the association of baseline FEV1 and change in FEV1 from baseline with all-cause and cancer-cause mortality adjusted for age, race/ethnicity, height, smoking, work assignment (firefighters vs. emergency medical service providers), and WTC exposure. Results: By December 31, 2021, 607 of the 12,264 individuals in the cohort (4.9%) had died (crude rate = 259.5 per 100,000 person-years), and 190 of 12,264 (1.5%) had died from cancer (crude rate = 81.2 per 100,000 person-years). Baseline FEV1 was ⩾80% predicted in 10,970 of the 12,264 (89.4%); final FEV1 was ⩾80% in 9,996 (81.5%). Lower FEV1 at baseline was associated with greater risk for all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] per liter = 2.32; 95% confidence interval [95% CI] = 1.98-2.72) and cancer-cause mortality (HR per liter = 1.99; 95% CI = 1.49-2.66). Longitudinally, each 100-ml/yr decrease in FEV1 was associated with an 11% increase in all-cause mortality (HR = 1.11; 95% CI = 1.06-1.15) and a 7% increase in cancer-cause mortality (HR = 1.07; 95% CI = 1.00-1.15). Compared with FEV1 decrease <64 ml/yr, those with FEV1 decrease ⩾64 ml/yr had higher all-cause (HR = 2.91; 95% CI = 2.37-3.56) and cancer-cause mortality (HR = 2.68; 95% CI = 1.90-3.79). Conclusions: Baseline FEV1 and longitudinal FEV1 decrease are associated with increased risk of all-cause and cancer-cause mortality in a previously healthy occupational cohort, the majority of whom had normal lung function, after intense exposure to dust/smoke. Further investigation is needed to define pathways by which lung function impacts mortality after an irritant exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- David G. Goldfarb
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York
- Bureau of Health Services, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Charles B. Hall
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; and
| | - Jaeun Choi
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; and
| | - Rachel Zeig-Owens
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York
- Bureau of Health Services, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, New York
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; and
| | - Hillel W. Cohen
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; and
| | - Madeline Cannon
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York
- Bureau of Health Services, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, New York
| | - David J. Prezant
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York
- Bureau of Health Services, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, New York
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York; and
| | - Michael D. Weiden
- Bureau of Health Services, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, New York
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York
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Wang W, Li H, Huang M. A literature review on the impact of disasters on healthcare systems, the role of nursing in disaster management, and strategies for cancer care delivery in disaster-affected populations. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1178092. [PMID: 37519811 PMCID: PMC10382130 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1178092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
This review article highlights the critical role of nurses in disaster management, with a specific focus on addressing blood tumors in disaster-affected populations. Disasters have a significant impact on healthcare systems and populations, and nurses play a crucial role in disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. The article provides case studies and successful examples of nursing interventions in disaster settings and tumor management, emphasizing the challenges and opportunities in providing cancer care in disaster settings. Recommendations for future research and practice in disaster nursing and blood tumor care are also presented. This information is essential for healthcare professionals and policymakers involved in disaster management, as well as researchers and clinicians working in the field of cancer care.
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Li J, Hall CB, Yung J, Kehm RD, Zeig-Owens R, Singh A, Cone JE, Brackbill RM, Farfel MR, Qiao B, Schymura MJ, Shapiro MZ, Dasaro CR, Todd AC, Prezant DJ, Boffetta P. A 15-year follow-up study of mortality in a pooled cohort of World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 219:115116. [PMID: 36549491 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Hazardous exposures from the World Trade Center (WTC) terrorist attacks have been linked to increased incidence of adverse health conditions, often associated with increased mortality. We assessed mortality in a pooled cohort of WTC rescue/recovery workers over 15 years of follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed mortality through 2016 in a pooled and deduplicated cohort of WTC rescue/recovery workers from three WTC-exposed cohorts (N = 60,631): the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY); the WTC Health Registry (WTCHR); and the General Responder Cohort (GRC). Standardized mortality ratios (SMRs) were estimated to assess mortality vs. the US and NY state populations. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine associations of WTC exposures (date of first arrival, working on the WTC debris pile) with mortality risk. RESULTS There were 1912 deaths over 697,943.33 person-years of follow-up. The SMR for all-cause mortality was significantly lower-than-expected, both when using US (SMR 0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.42-0.45) and NYS (SMR 0.51, 95% CI 0.49-0.53) as reference populations. SMRs were not elevated for any of the 28 major causes of death. Arriving at the WTC site on 9/11-9/17/2001 vs. 9/18/2001-6/30/2002 was associated with 30-50% higher risk of all-cause, heart disease and smoking-related mortality in non-FDNY/non-GRC members. Conversely, arriving on 9/11/2001 vs. 9/18/2001-6/30/2002 was associated with 40% lower all-cause and smoking-related mortality risk in FDNY members. Working on vs. off the WTC pile was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in non-FDNY/non-GRC members (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] 1.25, 95% CI 1.04-1.50), and cancer-specific mortality in GRC members (aHR 1.39, 95% CI 1.05-1.84), but lower mortality risks were found in FDNY members. CONCLUSIONS We did not observe excess mortality among WTC rescue/recovery workers compared with general populations. However, significantly increased mortality risks among some sub-groups with high WTC exposure warrant further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiehui Li
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, 42-09 28th Street, CN-6W, Long Island City, NY, 11101, United States
| | - Charles B Hall
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY, 10461, United States
| | - Janette Yung
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, 42-09 28th Street, CN-6W, Long Island City, NY, 11101, United States
| | - Rebecca D Kehm
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, 42-09 28th Street, CN-6W, Long Island City, NY, 11101, United States; Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, 722 W 168th St, New York, NY, 10032, United States
| | - Rachel Zeig-Owens
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY, 10461, United States; Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), 9 Metrotech Center 5E-63-K, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, United States; Montefiore Medical Center, Department of Medicine, 111 E. 210th St., The Bronx, NY, 10467, United States
| | - Ankura Singh
- Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), 9 Metrotech Center 5E-63-K, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, United States; Montefiore Medical Center, Department of Medicine, 111 E. 210th St., The Bronx, NY, 10467, United States
| | - James E Cone
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, 42-09 28th Street, CN-6W, Long Island City, NY, 11101, United States
| | - Robert M Brackbill
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, 42-09 28th Street, CN-6W, Long Island City, NY, 11101, United States
| | - Mark R Farfel
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, 42-09 28th Street, CN-6W, Long Island City, NY, 11101, United States
| | - Baozhen Qiao
- New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Cancer Epidemiology, 150 Broadway, Albany, NY, 12204, United States
| | - Maria J Schymura
- New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Cancer Epidemiology, 150 Broadway, Albany, NY, 12204, United States
| | - Moshe Z Shapiro
- WTC Health Program General Responder Data Center, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One, Gustave L. Levy Place, Mail Stop 1057, New York, NY, 10029, United States
| | - Christopher R Dasaro
- WTC Health Program General Responder Data Center, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One, Gustave L. Levy Place, Mail Stop 1057, New York, NY, 10029, United States
| | - Andrew C Todd
- WTC Health Program General Responder Data Center, Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One, Gustave L. Levy Place, Mail Stop 1057, New York, NY, 10029, United States
| | - David J Prezant
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, 1300 Morris Park Ave, Bronx, NY, 10461, United States; Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY), 9 Metrotech Center 5E-63-K, Brooklyn, NY, 11201, United States; Montefiore Medical Center, Department of Medicine, 111 E. 210th St., The Bronx, NY, 10467, United States
| | - Paolo Boffetta
- Stony Brook University, Stony Brook Cancer Center, Lauterbur Dr., Stony Brook, NY, 11794, United States; University of Bologna, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Via Zamboni, 33, 40126, Bologna, BO, Italy.
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Calvert GM. Tracking diseases related to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH 2023:1-7. [PMID: 36756896 DOI: 10.1080/19338244.2023.2175190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Accurate, timely, and complete disease reporting is essential to understanding the extent and long-term consequences of diseases related to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 (9/11). Although there are no public health disease reporting requirements that specifically mention 9/11, other mechanisms exist to track 9/11-related illnesses. These include the availability of 9/11-exposed cohorts, some open to new member recruitment and others closed. Record linkages of 9/11 cohorts to various data registries (eg statewide cancer registries and the National Death Index) are periodically performed. This paper describes these 9/11 cohorts and the efforts to track their health experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geoffrey M Calvert
- World Trade Center Health Program, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
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10
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DeMarini DM, Warren SH, Brooks LR. Mutagenicity of the organic fraction of World Trade Center dust. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2023; 64:16-25. [PMID: 36433931 PMCID: PMC9989947 DOI: 10.1002/em.22519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Most studies of the health effects and chemical characterization of the dust resulting from the catastrophic collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) on September 11, 2001, have focused on the large inorganic fraction of the dust; however, chemical analyses have identified mutagens and carcinogens in the smaller organic fraction. Here, we determined the mutagenicity of the organic fraction of WTC dust in Salmonella. Only 0.74% of the mass of the particulate matter (PM) <53 μm in diameter was extractable organic matter (EOM). Because the EOM was 10 times more mutagenic in TA100 +S9 than in TA98 +S9 and was negative in TA98 -S9, we inferred, respectively, that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) played a role in the mutagenicity and not nitroarenes. In TA98 +S9, the mutagenic potency of the EOM (0.1 revertant/μg EOM) was within the range of EOMs from air and combustion emissions. However, the EOM-based mutagenic potency of the particles (0.0007 revertants/μg PM) was 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than values from a review of 50 combustion emissions and various air samples. We calculated that 37 PAHs analyzed previously in WTC EOM were 5.4% of the EOM mass and 0.04% of the PM mass; some air contained 0.3 μg WTC EOM/m3 (0.02 μg PAHs/m3 ). Populations exposed to WTC dust have elevated levels of prostate and thyroid cancer but not lung cancer. Our data support earlier estimates that PAH-associated cancer risk among this population, for example, PAH-associated lung cancer, was unlikely to be significantly elevated relative to background PAH exposures.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M. DeMarini
- Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Center for Computational Toxicology and ExposureOffice of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyResearch Triangle ParkNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Sarah H. Warren
- Biomolecular and Computational Toxicology Division, Center for Computational Toxicology and ExposureOffice of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyResearch Triangle ParkNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Lance R. Brooks
- Homeland Security and Materials Management Division, Center for Environmental Solutions and Emergency ResponseOffice of Research and Development, U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyResearch Triangle ParkNorth CarolinaUSA
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11
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Florsheim RL, Zhang Q, Durmus N, Zhang Y, Pehlivan S, Arslan AA, Shao Y, Reibman J. Characteristics of Cancers in Community Members Exposed to the World Trade Center Disaster at a Young Age. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15163. [PMID: 36429881 PMCID: PMC9690329 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192215163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The destruction of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers on 11 September 2001 (9/11) released tons of dust and smoke into the atmosphere, exposing hundreds of thousands of community members (survivors) and responders to carcinogens. The WTC Environmental Health Center (WTC EHC) is a federally designated surveillance and treatment program for community members who were present in the New York City disaster area on 9/11 or during the months that followed. WTC EHC enrollment requires exposure to the WTC dust and fumes and a federally certifiable medical condition, which includes most solid and blood cancers. Several studies have described the prevalence and characteristics of cancers in responders and survivors exposed to the WTC dust and fumes as adults. Cancers in those exposed at a young age warrant specific investigation since environmental toxin exposure at a younger age may change cancer risk. We describe the characteristics of 269 cancer patients with 278 cancer diagnoses among WTC EHC enrollees who were young in age (aged 0 to 30) on 9/11. These include 215 patients with a solid tumor (79.9%) and 54 with a lymphoid and/or hematopoietic cancer (20.1%). Among them, 9 patients had a known second primary cancer. A total of 23 different types of cancer were identified, including cancer types rare for this age group. Many were diagnosed in individuals lacking traditional cancer-specific risk factors such as tobacco use. The current study is the first to report specifically on cancer characteristics of younger enrollees in the WTC EHC program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Lynn Florsheim
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Qiao Zhang
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Nedim Durmus
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yian Zhang
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Sultan Pehlivan
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Alan A. Arslan
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yongzhao Shao
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Joan Reibman
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
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12
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Yung J, Li J, Kehm RD, Cone JE, Parton H, Huynh M, Farfel MR. COVID-19-Specific Mortality among World Trade Center Health Registry Enrollees Who Resided in New York City. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:14348. [PMID: 36361222 PMCID: PMC9654565 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192114348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
We examined the all-cause and COVID-19-specific mortality among World Trade Center Health Registry (WTCHR) enrollees. We also examined the socioeconomic factors associated with COVID-19-specific death. Mortality data from the NYC Bureau of Vital Statistics between 2015-2020 were linked to the WTCHR. COVID-19-specific death was defined as having positive COVID-19 tests that match to a death certificate or COVID-19 mentioned on the death certificate via text searching. We conducted step change and pulse regression to assess excess deaths. Limiting to those who died in 2019 (n = 210) and 2020 (n = 286), we examined factors associated with COVID-19-specific deaths using multinomial logistic regression. Death rate among WTCHR enrollees increased during the pandemic (RR: 1.70, 95% CL: 1.25-2.32), driven by the pulse in March-April 2020 (RR: 3.38, 95% CL: 2.62-4.30). No significantly increased death rate was observed during May-December 2020. Being non-Hispanic Black and having at least one co-morbidity had a higher likelihood of COVID-19-associated mortality than being non-Hispanic White and not having any co-morbidity (AOR: 2.43, 95% CL: 1.23-4.77; AOR: 2.86, 95% CL: 1.19-6.88, respectively). The racial disparity in COVID-19-specific deaths attenuated after including neighborhood proportion of essential workers in the model (AOR:1.98, 95% CL: 0.98-4.01). Racial disparities continue to impact mortality by differential occupational exposure and structural inequality in neighborhood representation. The WTC-exposed population are no exception. Continued efforts to reduce transmission risk in communities of color is crucial for addressing health inequities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janette Yung
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, New York, NY 11101, USA
| | - Jiehui Li
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, New York, NY 11101, USA
| | - Rebecca D. Kehm
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, New York, NY 11101, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - James E. Cone
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, New York, NY 11101, USA
| | - Hilary Parton
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Communicable Diseases, New York, NY 11101, USA
| | - Mary Huynh
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Bureau of Vital Statistics, New York, NY 10013, USA
| | - Mark R. Farfel
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, World Trade Center Health Registry, New York, NY 11101, USA
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13
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Kehm RD, Li J, Takemoto E, Yung J, Qiao B, Farfel MR, Cone JE. Mortality after the 9/11 terrorist attacks among world trade center health registry enrollees with cancer. Cancer Med 2022; 12:1829-1840. [PMID: 36107389 PMCID: PMC9883583 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.4992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While several studies have reported the association between 9/11 exposure and cancer risk, cancer survival has not been well studied in the World Trade Center (WTC) exposed population. We examined associations of 9/11-related exposures with mortality in WTC Health Registry enrollees diagnosed with cancer before and after 9/11/2001. PATIENTS AND METHODS This is a longitudinal cohort study of 5061 enrollees with a first-ever primary invasive cancer diagnosis between 1995 and 2015 and followed through 2016. Based on the timing of first cancer diagnosis, pre-9/11 (n = 634) and post-9/11 (n = 4427) cancer groups were examined separately. 9/11-related exposures included witnessing traumatic events, injury on 9/11, and 9/11-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Associations of exposures with all-cause mortality were examined using Cox proportional hazards regression. In the post-9/11 group, cancer-specific mortality was evaluated by enrollee group (WTC rescue/recovery workers vs. non-workers) using Fine and Gray's proportional sub-distribution hazard models, adjusting for baseline covariates, tumor characteristics, and treatment. RESULTS In the pre-9/11 group, 9/11-related exposures were not associated with all-cause mortality. In the post-9/11 group, increased risk of all-cause mortality was associated with PTSD (adjusted HR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.11-1.65), but not with injury or witnessing traumatic events. Cancer-specific mortality was not statistically significantly associated with 9/11-related exposures. In rescue/recovery workers, increased non-cancer mortality risk was associated with PTSD (aHR = 2.13, 95% CI = 1.13-4.00) and witnessing ≥3 traumatic events (aHR = 2.00, 95% CI = 1.13-3.55). CONCLUSIONS We did not observe associations between 9/11-related exposures and cancer-specific mortality. Similar to findings in the non-cancer WTC exposed population, PTSD was associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality in cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca D. Kehm
- New York City Department of Health and Mental HygieneWorld Trade Center Health RegistryLong Island CityNew YorkUSA,Department of EpidemiologyMailman School of Public Health, Columbia UniversityNew York CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Jiehui Li
- New York City Department of Health and Mental HygieneWorld Trade Center Health RegistryLong Island CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Erin Takemoto
- New York City Department of Health and Mental HygieneWorld Trade Center Health RegistryLong Island CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Janette Yung
- New York City Department of Health and Mental HygieneWorld Trade Center Health RegistryLong Island CityNew YorkUSA
| | - Baozhen Qiao
- New York State Department of HealthBureau of Cancer EpidemiologyAlbanyNew YorkUSA
| | - Mark R. Farfel
- New York City Department of Health and Mental HygieneWorld Trade Center Health RegistryLong Island CityNew YorkUSA
| | - James E. Cone
- New York City Department of Health and Mental HygieneWorld Trade Center Health RegistryLong Island CityNew YorkUSA
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14
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Zeig-Owens R, Goldfarb DG, Luft BJ, Yang X, Murata K, Ramanathan L, Thoren K, Doddi S, Shah UA, Mueller AK, Hall CB, Giricz O, Verma A, Prezant DJ, Landgren O. Myeloma precursor disease (MGUS) among rescue and recovery workers exposed to the World Trade Center disaster. Blood Cancer J 2022; 12:120. [PMID: 35995768 PMCID: PMC9395354 DOI: 10.1038/s41408-022-00709-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
An elevated risk of myeloma precursor disease, monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), was identified among Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) World Trade Center (WTC)-exposed firefighters. Further investigation was needed to determine if these findings were reproducible in a more heterogeneous WTC-exposed rescue/recovery workers cohort, the Stony Brook University-General Responder Cohort GRC (SBU-GRC). MGUS risk was compared between the cohorts and to published general population estimates from Olmsted County, MN, USA. In this observational seroprevalence study, odds ratios (OR) and age-standardized risk ratios (RR) of MGUS (M-spike and light-chain-MGUS combined), M-spike, and light-chain-MGUS were estimated using logistic regression. Age-standardized prevalences were calculated for white males aged 50–79; RRs were estimated by comparing risk in the WTC-exposed cohort with the Olmsted County screened cohort. SBU-GRC had elevated odds of MGUS compared with FDNY (OR = 1.38; 95%CI = 1.00–1.89). The age-standardized prevalence of MGUS was 9.0/100 persons (95%CI = 7.5–10.6), over two-fold higher than the general population (RR = 2.08; 95%CI = 1.72–2.51); the age-standardized prevalence of light-chain-MGUS was 3.5-fold higher (RR = 3.54; 95%CI = 2.52–4.97). This study adds to mounting evidence supporting an association between WTC/environmental exposures and MGUS among rescue/recovery workers. Access to MGUS screenings for the entire WTC-exposed cohort could allow for treatment interventions that improve survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Zeig-Owens
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.,Bureau of Health Services, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - David G Goldfarb
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.,Bureau of Health Services, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Benjamin J Luft
- Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Xiaohua Yang
- Department of Medicine, Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Kazunori Murata
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lakshmi Ramanathan
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katie Thoren
- Myeloma Program, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Sital Doddi
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Urvi A Shah
- Myeloma Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, NY, USA
| | - Alexandra K Mueller
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.,Bureau of Health Services, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Charles B Hall
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Orsi Giricz
- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Rye Brook, NY, USA
| | - Amit Verma
- Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Oncology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine & Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - David J Prezant
- Bureau of Health Services, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ola Landgren
- Myeloma Division, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA.
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15
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Zhang Y, Rosen R, Reibman J, Shao Y. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Mediates the Association between Traumatic World Trade Center Dust Cloud Exposure and Ongoing Systemic Inflammation in Community Members. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19148622. [PMID: 35886474 PMCID: PMC9322679 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19148622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Revised: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to World Trade Center (WTC) dust/fumes and traumas on 11 September 2001 has been reported as a risk factor for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental/physical health symptoms in WTC-affected populations. Increased systemic inflammation and oxidative stress from the exposure and subsequent illnesses have been proposed as contributors to the underlying biological processes. Many blood-based biomarkers of systemic inflammation, including C-reactive protein (CRP), are useful for non-invasive diagnostic and monitoring of disease process, and also potential targets for therapeutic interventions. Twenty years after 9/11, however, the relationships between WTC exposure, chronic PTSD, and systemic inflammation are only beginning to be systematically investigated in the WTC-affected civilian population despite the fact that symptoms of PTSD and systemic inflammation are still common and persistent. This paper aims to address this knowledge gap, using enrollees of the WTC Environmental Health Center (EHC), a federally designated treatment and surveillance program for community members (WTC Survivors) exposed to the 9/11 terrorist attack. We conducted a mediation analysis to investigate the association between acute WTC dust cloud traumatic exposure (WDCTE) on 9/11, chronic PTSD symptoms, and levels of systemic inflammation. The data indicate that the chronic PTSD symptoms and some specific symptom clusters of PTSD significantly mediate the WDCTE on systemic inflammation, as reflected by the CRP levels. As both chronic PTSD and systemic inflammation are long-term risk factors for neurodegeneration and cognitive decline, further research on the implications of this finding is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yian Zhang
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 180 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA;
- HHC World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, 462 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA;
- NYU Alzheimer Disease Research Center, 145 E 32 Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Rebecca Rosen
- HHC World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, 462 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA;
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Joan Reibman
- HHC World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, 462 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA;
- Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 550 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Correspondence: (J.R.); (Y.S.)
| | - Yongzhao Shao
- Department of Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 180 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA;
- HHC World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, 462 First Avenue, New York, NY 10016, USA;
- NYU Alzheimer Disease Research Center, 145 E 32 Street, New York, NY 10016, USA
- Correspondence: (J.R.); (Y.S.)
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16
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Boffetta P, Hall CB, Todd AC, Goldfarb DG, Schymura MJ, Li J, Cone JE, Zeig-Owens R. Cancer risk among World Trade Center rescue and recovery workers: A review. CA Cancer J Clin 2022; 72:308-314. [PMID: 35325473 DOI: 10.3322/caac.21723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Twenty years after the September 11th, 2001 terrorist attacks, the association between exposures present at the World Trade Center (WTC) site and the risk of several specific types of cancer has been reported among rescue and recovery workers. The authors' objective was to conduct an updated review of these data. Most studies have found elevated rates of both prostate and thyroid cancers compared with rates in the general population, and some have reported statistically significant differences for the rates of all cancers as well. Studies including a larger combined cohort of WTC-exposed rescue and recovery workers from 3 main cohorts have since replicated findings for these cancers, with additional years of follow-up. Among this combined cohort, although a lower-than-expected standardized incidence ratio for all cancers was observed, WTC exposure was also related to an increased risk of cutaneous melanoma and tonsil cancer. Importantly, another study found that WTC-exposed rescue and recovery workers who are enrolled in the federally funded medical monitoring and treatment program experienced improved survival post-cancer diagnosis compared with New York state patients with cancer. On the basis of these combined cohort studies, the full effect of WTC exposure on cancer risk is becoming clearer. Consequently, the authors believe that surveillance of those with WTC exposure should be continued, and in-depth analysis of epidemiologic, molecular, and clinical aspects of specific cancers in these workers should be pursued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Boffetta
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | - Charles B Hall
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
| | - Andrew C Todd
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - David G Goldfarb
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, New York, New York
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, New York
| | - Maria J Schymura
- Bureau of Cancer Epidemiology, New York State Department of Health, Albany, New York
| | - Jiehui Li
- World Trade Center Health Registry, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Long Island City, New York
| | - James E Cone
- World Trade Center Health Registry, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, Long Island City, New York
| | - Rachel Zeig-Owens
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York
- Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, New York, New York
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, New York
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17
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Jasra S, Giricz O, Zeig-Owens R, Pradhan K, Goldfarb DG, Barreto-Galvez A, Silver AJ, Chen J, Sahu S, Gordon-Mitchell S, Choudhary GS, Aluri S, Bhagat TD, Shastri A, Bejan CA, Stockton SS, Spaulding TP, Thiruthuvanathan V, Goto H, Gerhardt J, Haider SH, Veerappan A, Bartenstein M, Nwankwo G, Landgren O, Weiden MD, Lekostaj J, Bender R, Fletcher F, Greenberger L, Ebert BL, Steidl U, Will B, Nolan A, Madireddy A, Savona MR, Prezant DJ, Verma A. High burden of clonal hematopoiesis in first responders exposed to the World Trade Center disaster. Nat Med 2022; 28:468-471. [PMID: 35256801 PMCID: PMC9394171 DOI: 10.1038/s41591-022-01708-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center (WTC) created an unprecedented environmental exposure to aerosolized dust, gases and potential carcinogens. Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) is defined as the acquisition of somatic mutations in blood cells and is associated with smoking and exposure to genotoxic stimuli. Here we show that deep targeted sequencing of blood samples identified a significantly higher proportion of WTC-exposed first responders with CH (10%; 48 out of 481) when compared with non-WTC-exposed firefighters (6.7%; 17 out of 255; odds ratio, 3.14; 95% confidence interval, 1.64-6.03; P = 0.0006) after controlling for age, sex and race/ethnicity. The frequency of somatic mutations in WTC-exposed first responders showed an age-related increase and predominantly affected DNMT3A, TET2 and other CH-associated genes. Exposure of lymphoblastoid cells to WTC particulate matter led to dysregulation of DNA replication at common fragile sites in vitro. Moreover, mice treated with WTC particulate matter developed an increased burden of mutations in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell compartments. In summary, the high burden of CH in WTC-exposed first responders provides a rationale for enhanced screening and preventative efforts in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakshi Jasra
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University of Vermont, Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Orsi Giricz
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Rachel Zeig-Owens
- Pulmonary Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Bureau of Health Services, Brooklyn, NY, USA
- Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Kith Pradhan
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - David G Goldfarb
- Pulmonary Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Bureau of Health Services, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Angelica Barreto-Galvez
- Department of Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Alexander J Silver
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Jiahao Chen
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Srabani Sahu
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Shanisha Gordon-Mitchell
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Gaurav S Choudhary
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Srinivas Aluri
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Tushar D Bhagat
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Aditi Shastri
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Cosmin A Bejan
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Shannon S Stockton
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Travis P Spaulding
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Victor Thiruthuvanathan
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Hiroki Goto
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Jeannine Gerhardt
- The Ronald O. Perelman and Claudia Cohen Center for Reproductive Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Syed Hissam Haider
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Arul Veerappan
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Matthias Bartenstein
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - George Nwankwo
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Ola Landgren
- Myeloma Program, Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Michael D Weiden
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Bureau of Health Services, Brooklyn, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Benjamin L Ebert
- Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ulrich Steidl
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Britta Will
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Anna Nolan
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Bureau of Health Services, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Advaitha Madireddy
- Department of Pediatrics Hematology/Oncology, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ, USA.
| | - Michael R Savona
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA.
| | - David J Prezant
- Pulmonary Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
- Fire Department of the City of New York, Bureau of Health Services, Brooklyn, NY, USA.
| | - Amit Verma
- Department of Oncology, Blood Cancer Institute, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY, USA.
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18
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Wang L, Xu Y, Zhang L, Kang K, Kobryn A, Portman K, Gordon RE, Pan PY, Taioli E, Aaronson SA, Chen SH, Mulholland DJ. World Trade Center dust exposure promotes cancer in PTEN-deficient mouse prostates. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2022; 2:518-532. [PMID: 35911788 PMCID: PMC9336209 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-21-0111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
During the 9/11 attacks individuals were exposed to World Trade Center (WTC) dust which contained a complex mixture of carcinogens. Epidemiological studies have revealed the increased incidence of prostate and thyroid cancer in WTC survivors and responders. While reports have shown that WTC-dust associates with the increased prevalence of inflammatory related disorders, studies to date have not determined whether this exposure impacts cancer progression. In this study, we have used genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models with prostate specific deletion of the PTEN tumor suppressor to study the impact of WTC-dust exposure on deposition of dust particles, inflammation, and cancer progression. In normal C57/BL6 mice, dust exposure increased cellular expression of inflammatory genes with highest levels in the lung and peripheral blood. In normal and tumor bearing GEM mice, increased immune cell infiltration to the lungs was observed. Pathological evaluation of mice at different time points showed that WTC-dust exposure promoted PI3K-AKT activation, increased epithelial proliferation and acinar invasion in prostates with heterozygous and homozygous Pten loss. Using autochthonous and transplant GEM models of prostate cancer we demonstrated that dust exposure caused reduced survival as compared to control cohorts. Finally, we used imaging mass cytometry (IMC) to detect elevated immune cell infiltration and cellular expression of inflammatory markers in prostate tumors isolated from human WTC survivors. Collectively, our study shows that chronic inflammation, induced by WTC dust exposure, promotes more aggressive cancer in genetically predisposed prostates and potentially in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wang
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Yitian Xu
- Center for Immunotherapy Research, Cancer Center of Excellence, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas
| | - Licheng Zhang
- Center for Immunotherapy Research, Cancer Center of Excellence, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas
| | - Kyeongah Kang
- Center for Immunotherapy Research, Cancer Center of Excellence, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas
| | - Andriy Kobryn
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Kensey Portman
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Ronald E Gordon
- Department of Pathology, Icahn School of Medicine, New York, New York
| | - Ping-Ying Pan
- Center for Immunotherapy Research, Cancer Center of Excellence, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas
| | - Emanuela Taioli
- Institute for Translational Epidemiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Tisch Cancer Institute, New York, New York
| | - Stuart A Aaronson
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Tisch Cancer Institute, New York, New York
| | - Shu-Hsia Chen
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Center for Immunotherapy Research, Cancer Center of Excellence, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, Texas
| | - David J Mulholland
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
- Tisch Cancer Institute, New York, New York
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19
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Cleven KL, Rosenzvit C, Nolan A, Zeig-Owens R, Kwon S, Weiden MD, Skerker M, Halpren A, Prezant DJ. Twenty-Year Reflection on the Impact of World Trade Center Exposure on Pulmonary Outcomes in Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) Rescue and Recovery Workers. Lung 2021; 199:569-578. [PMID: 34766209 PMCID: PMC8583580 DOI: 10.1007/s00408-021-00493-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 (9/11), many rescue/recovery workers developed respiratory symptoms and pulmonary diseases due to their extensive World Trade Center (WTC) dust cloud exposure. Nearly all Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) workers were present within 48 h of 9/11 and for the next several months. Since the FDNY had a well-established occupational health service for its firefighters and Emergency Medical Services workers prior to 9/11, the FDNY was able to immediately start a rigorous monitoring and treatment program for its WTC-exposed workers. As a result, respiratory symptoms and diseases were identified soon after 9/11. This focused review summarizes the WTC-related respiratory diseases that developed in the FDNY cohort after 9/11, including WTC cough syndrome, obstructive airways disease, accelerated lung function decline, airway hyperreactivity, sarcoidosis, and obstructive sleep apnea. Additionally, an extensive array of biomarkers has been identified as associated with WTC-related respiratory disease. Future research efforts will not only focus on further phenotyping/treating WTC-related respiratory disease but also on additional diseases associated with WTC exposure, especially those that take decades to develop, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and interstitial lung disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krystal L Cleven
- Pulmonary Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.
| | - Carla Rosenzvit
- Pulmonary Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Anna Nolan
- The Bureau of Health Services and the FDNY World Trade Center Health Program, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Rachel Zeig-Owens
- Pulmonary Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,The Bureau of Health Services and the FDNY World Trade Center Health Program, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Division of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Sophia Kwon
- Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael D Weiden
- The Bureau of Health Services and the FDNY World Trade Center Health Program, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Environmental Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Molly Skerker
- Pulmonary Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,The Bureau of Health Services and the FDNY World Trade Center Health Program, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - Allison Halpren
- The Bureau of Health Services and the FDNY World Trade Center Health Program, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA
| | - David J Prezant
- Pulmonary Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, Montefiore Medical Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA.,The Bureau of Health Services and the FDNY World Trade Center Health Program, Fire Department of the City of New York, Brooklyn, NY, USA.,Division of Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Population Health, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
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20
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Heck JE, Hansen J. World Trade Center Rescue and Recovery Workers: Cancer Increases Are Beginning to Emerge. J Natl Cancer Inst 2021; 114:172-173. [PMID: 34498080 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djab164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Julia E Heck
- College of Health and Public Service, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USA
| | - Johnni Hansen
- Diet, Genes, and Environment section, Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
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