15th Anniversary of 9/11: Mesothelioma Expected to Rise from Attack

Thoracic surgeon Dr. Raja Flores, like so many other patriotic Americans, rushed to help after the horrific 9/11 terrorist attack at the World Trade Center (WTC) in New York City. As the world prepares to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Flores’ work is far from done. While the memory of that fateful Sept. 11, 2001, is beginning to fade for many, the threat of a resulting and significant rise in mesothelioma cancer is looming large on the horizon. The alarming number of future mesothelioma cases will stem from the weeks-long rescue and cleanup efforts performed under the toxic cloud that contained more than 400 tons of pulverized asbestos from the collapse of the Twin Towers. “I feel stronger about this today than ever. We’re going to see a very significant rise in [mesothelioma] cases,” Flores, the chief of thoracic surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, told Asbestos.com. The inhalation or ingestion of microscopic asbestos fibers 15 years ago is leading to serious health issues, including asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma, a rare but aggressive cancer with no cure. Flores, a mesothelioma specialist with more than 20 years’ experience treating asbestos-related diseases, says “we’re just scratching the surface” when it comes to new diagnoses. “We’re still waiting for the critical numbers where we’ll be able to prove to the outside world, or to the people who don’t want to see the relationship,...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Tags: 15th anniversary 9/11 9/11 15 year anniversary 9/11 attack at world trade center 9/11 mesothelioma cases 9/11 terrorist attack asbestos after 9/11 attack asbestos in 9/11 attack Source Type: news