Thyroid Cancer Aggressiveness in WTC Responders

Details

• Personal Author:
  Riggins G ; Taioli E
• Description:
  The health consequences of exposure to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster site have been an area of active research due to the significant increase in various health conditions among responders and nearby residents. This report summarizes findings of the work we conducted on both animal models and human samples. In Aim 1 we proposed to determine the molecular response in rat thyroids as a result of exposure to the dust collected at the WTC site. Using total RNA sequencing and whole genome sequencing, we have generated preliminary results showing some key markers being overexpressed in thyroids of rats after exposure to WTC dust. Aim 2 was designed to determine the inflammatory and immune-response in WTC thyroid cancers. By employing total RNA sequencing on WTC and non-WTC thyroid cancers from Formalin-Fixed Paraffin- Embedded (FFPE) tissue slides, we observed distinct molecular profiles. Aim 3 was to investigate the genetic mutational profile of WTC thyroid cancers compared to non-WTC exposed thyroid cancers. We performed whole exome sequencing on DNA from FFPE tissue slides, identifying a high frequency of TERT promoter mutations in WTC thyroid cancers. These findings are presented in the publication TERT and BRAF V600E mutations in thyroid cancer of World Trade Center Responders, which underscored the role of these genetic alterations in the pathogenesis of thyroid cancer in this population. Collectively, the work provides a comprehensive overview of the multifaceted impact of WTC exposure on thyroid cancer risk, from epidemiological patterns to molecular mechanisms. The findings underscore the need for ongoing surveillance, targeted screening, and further research to mitigate the long-term health consequences faced by WTC responders. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Carcinogens Dust Emergency Responders Neoplasms Occupational Health Safety September 11 Terrorist Attacks
• Keywords:
  Cancer Carcinogenesis Dust Exposure First Responders Molecular Epidemiology Mutation Thyroid Gland Disorders World Trade Center WTC
• Series:
  Grant Final Reports
• Publisher:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement
• Genre:
  Final Cooperative Agreement Report
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; New York ; New York City Region [OSHA] ; Philadelphia Region [OSHA]
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  OEP - Office of Extramural Programs
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  1-29
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20070807
• Citation:
  Atlanta, GA: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U01-OH-011849, 2024 Oct; :1-29
• Contact Point Address:
  Emanuela Taioli, MD, PhD, Director, Institute for Translational Epidemiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1 Gustave Levy Pl, New York, NY, 10029-6574
• Email:
  Emanuela.Taioli@mountsinai.org
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2025
• Performing Organization:
  Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• Peer Reviewed:
  False
• Start Date:
  20190701
• Source Full Name:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• End Date:
  20210630
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:57dcf9aee978927779a23c173183a0342ce85449cbd2585f26b61219b95df599199f2dcd13a73f3886b0d8aba805522dcb579e99ab2f6280c012424933e7e545
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/219283/cdc_219283_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1.77 MB ]