Decades after 9/11, Mount Sinai treats lingering illnesses of thousands of responders

As the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks nears, Mount Sinai’s World Trade Center Health Program remains a lifeline for thousands of responders, delivering free medical exams, treatment, mental-health services and benefits counseling. The initiative builds on a legacy of occupational-health research that began with Irving Selikoff’s asbestos studies in the 1950s. Leaders such as Michael Crane and Raja Flores stress that the toxic exposure’s effects can surface 20 or 30 years later, manifesting as lung cancer, reflux, and other serious illnesses.

Mental-health specialist Craig Katz integrated psychiatric care with physical treatment early on, helping to reduce stigma among responders. Patients like retired FDNY captain William Corrar, diagnosed with esophageal cancer, credit the program’s multidisciplinary approach for improving outcomes. The effort also provides researchers with rare data on how disaster-related diseases evolve over time. Nonetheless, doctors warn that new health problems will continue to appear, underscoring the program’s long-term relevance.