Characteristics of Women with Lung Adenocarcinoma in the World Trade Center Environmental Health Center

Elaine Shum, Nedim Durmus, Sultan Pehlivan, Yuting Lu, Yian Zhang, Alan A. Arslan, Yongzhao Shao and Joan Reibman
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Elaine Shum: Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
Nedim Durmus: Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
Sultan Pehlivan: Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
Yuting Lu: World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC Health + Hospitals, New York, NY 10016, USA
Yian Zhang: World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC Health + Hospitals, New York, NY 10016, USA
Alan A. Arslan: Perlmutter Comprehensive Cancer Center, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA
Yongzhao Shao: World Trade Center Environmental Health Center, NYC Health + Hospitals, New York, NY 10016, USA
Joan Reibman: Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Medicine, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 13, 1-10

Abstract: The destruction of the World Trade Center towers on 11 September 2001 exposed local residents, workers, and individuals in the area (Survivors) to dust and fumes that included known and suspected carcinogens. Given the potential for inhalation of toxic substances and the long latency after exposure, the incidence of lung cancer is expected to increase in WTC-exposed individuals. We describe the characteristics of women WTC Survivors with lung adenocarcinoma who were enrolled in the WTC Environmental Health Center (WTC EHC) between May 2002 and July 2021. A total of 173 women in WTC EHC had a diagnosis of any type of lung cancer, representing 10% of all cancers in women. Most of the lung cancers (87%) were non-small cell carcinomas, with adenocarcinoma (77%) being the most common subtype. Nearly half (46%) of these patients were exposed to dust clouds on 11 September 2001. Race and ethnicity varied by smoking status, as follows: 44% of Asian women compared with 29% of non-Hispanic White women were never-smokers ( p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the pathologic characteristics of adenocarcinomas between never and ever smokers. We also summarize EGFR, ALK, KRAS, ROS-1 and BRAF mutation status stratified by smoking, race and ethnicity. The identification of a relatively high proportion of women never-smokers with lung cancer warrants further investigation into the role of WTC dust exposure.

Keywords: World Trade Center (WTC); WTC Environmental Health Center; September 11; lung cancer; lung adenocarcinoma; women; smoking; biomarker (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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