Thoracic surgeon warns that 9/11 exposure continues to cause lung cancer and mesothelioma decades later

Raja Flores, a thoracic surgeon at Mount Sinai, treats patients whose illnesses trace back to the dust and fumes of the World Trade Center collapse. He describes how many former first responders and nearby residents now face lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other serious conditions long after the attacks.

One of his patients, retired NYPD officer John Aris, recently returned for a CT scan after having part of his lung removed years earlier. The surgeon’s hopeful words, “No cancer,” underscore the ongoing anxiety that families endure with each follow‑up.

Flores notes that the upcoming 25th anniversary ceremony will include a new moment of silence to honor those who have died from diseases linked to their exposure at Ground Zero, highlighting that the health toll of 9/11 is still unfolding.

The piece serves as a reminder that the medical consequences of the attacks persist, affecting both patients and the broader healthcare community tasked with treating these complex, exposure‑related diseases.