Nearly a quarter-century after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the people exposed to the toxic dust and smoke of Ground Zero are still getting sick — and new data show cancer cases continuing to climb.
According to figures tied to the World Trade Center (WTC) Health Program and reported by Northwell Health, certified 9/11-related cancer cases in one program grew from 177 in 2023 to 235 in 2025 — a 75% rise over three years, with 132 more in the first half of 2026. Program-wide, of roughly 145,000 enrolled members (responders and survivors), about 57,000 have had a cancer certified over the program’s lifetime — including more than 10,000 certified in the past year alone.
Why cases keep growing
Many cancers have long latency periods — they can take decades to appear after exposure — so the toll rises even now. Notably, survivors (residents, workers, students in the area), not just first responders, now account for a large share; the number receiving cancer-treatment support has roughly tripled in five years. The most common types include prostate and skin cancers, followed by breast and urinary-tract cancers.
Why it matters
The numbers underscore why long-term monitoring and coverage for exposed populations remains essential — and why the anniversary is, for tens of thousands of people, not history but an ongoing medical reality. This summarizes reported public-health data and is not medical advice.