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All Americans suffered the emotional effects of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. But for many of New York City’s first responders, the p...
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Yeah yeah.
Hello well with the help dog -- dog -- -- as America's we have.
Suffered the emotional effects of terrorist attacks of nine elevenths.
But for many of New York city's first responders.
The physical effects still lingers.
Joining me now is doctor Roger Flores chief of the -- surgery -- island school of medicine.
And there thank you so much for being here and you know I say.
You know the first responders.
Really did -- and heroic job.
The consequences.
Of their health consequences continue to linger and one of the issues of course is the issue of you know respiratory ailments lung cancer in particular what kind of -- a problems evolved from that.
From that terrorist attack or we have a good populations has studied -- about 30000 patients that are followed at mount Sinai.
Who were first responders.
And the people that helped stage and perform the clean up.
And what was in that pulverized.
Dust that came down.
Included about 2000.
Tons of this -- this and so they were inhaling that on a daily basis.
And what we've seen a recent study just came out in the lancet where they've looked.
At the diseases that these patients were suffering from.
And they found that 30% of them had.
Problems with past month that they didn't have before hand.
40% had sinus problems.
And another 40% had GE reflux Castro -- -- reflux which we know was a precursor to esophageal cancer.
But the biggest concerns when you have the asbestos.
Is the concern of developing something called means -- feel -- -- which is accused her I want to answer.
And and lung cancer itself.
It.
Was when they're still using I'm surprised said they were still using as best -- Is because did that will present it was constructed in the seventies of I would call running yet there were about.
I think the twentieth thirty floors where it was an entire -- in the insulation.
In the drywall.
And all that just got pulverized and sent out into the public so if you have this -- this within your walls has long.
As they're not doing construction in releasing these.
Particles out into -- air here okay fine.
But whenever they do construction and the release release the -- in your risk that slogan about miss the Australia Roma and in particular give -- they give me some of the highlights of that disease so -- -- only is it disease that you can't that forms in the lining of the long as opposed to lung cancer which forms in the substance of the long.
So this is the covering of long and what happens is.
Than normal cell of the lying it's called deplore.
And when -- develops this cancer -- we know what it tends to engulf the long.
Freeze the muscles.
And indeed the structure surrounding it that chest wall hard a award makes it more I have a prelude to -- -- -- tail very difficult to -- Right and then you can get pneumonia is and most patients die from just a few simple to ration of this here now if you catch it early.
He can do certain surgical procedures of correcting me or something called an actual -- -- -- -- to me.
Where you can take care of it -- but it does have a bit it's frequently associated with a bad outcome.
There's a program at Sinai -- that you just alluded to earlier.
Which is what is -- monitoring or people can go get checked on a regular basis to make sure that they don't develop these types of problems.
So it's a federally funded program where patients who were exposed down there they get -- histories physicals.
They get followed they get testing and if needed treatment right and so -- included these 30000.
Individuals who like you said risked their lives to take care of the situation down there and now.
They're getting taking care of.
I -- for the people that we're living or.
The remaining in that lower part of Manhattan -- they they also you'd think at risk.
They are at risk is -- anyone who's had a significant exposure to asbestos.
Is at risk for developing -- that the only Omar and or lung cancer.
It is there a window because you know you know this is you know to me 9/11 is still so fresh in my mind.
Is there -- window where we could say okay.
The these are the amount of people that we monitor these are the expected cancers that we saw.
And then is going to be well now we don't expect to see any more problems or is this a life long struggle for a lot of these folks.
I think this will be a lifelong struggle in our lifetime.
The latency period can be ten to forty years for the development of any one of these cancers.
And it.
They will have to be monitored screens.
So that if the cancer does develop you can -- repeat it you can catch it early entry.
Aside from the cancer.
Are there any thing else that these folks need to worry about how are you monitoring any other.
And I mean adults -- Burkle differences was looking -- miscarriage rates mean.
Are you are there any other things that you.
Worry about I.
But the things that we are anticipating at least the big ones right now are lung disease such as I ask this -- says fibrosis asthma.
Cancers lung cancer musically a -- with a reflux gas -- socket -- cancer.
And also.
From mental health issues great and manage depression and posttraumatic stress disorder.
Well this and I wish you would look because when -- -- -- is God's word as far as I'm concerned.
I congratulate mount -- they're always in the leading edge.
Of helping.
The world but that's been particularly hoping New Yorkers thank you so much for coming thanks for having.
-- you have any health -- you wanna talk to me about email me here at fox adopted many of foxnews.com until next time -- doctor.
