More than 1,100 have cancer after 9/11

About 1,140 people have already been diagnosed with various forms of cancer as a result of exposure at Ground Zero. Treatment plans for those diagnosed will be covered by the World Trade Center Health Program. The number of eligible patients may continue to grow, since 58 other types of cancer have been added to the coverage list, and those who were present in Shanksville, Pennsylvania and the Pentagon are now eligible to apply for coverage as well. It took time to establish a formal link between exposure to the harmful chemicals and debris on 9/11 to the development of cancer, but a study published in The Lancelot medical journal confirmed that firefighters were 19% more likely to get cancer if they had worked at Ground Zero, as compared to those who did not. The CDC says that those who lived, worked, or volunteered after the attacks on 9/11 are eligible for coverage, as long as certain criteria are met. To see if you or a loved one are eligible for the World Trade Center Health Program, visit www.cdc.gov/wtc.

CNN, 9/11/13