Cancer Shadow From Ground Zero Work

Doctor consulting a patient on a sofa — Photo: Chinnapong / Shutterstock

Twenty-five years after 9/11, veteran reporter Eric Shawn says his cancer is linked to the toxic dust he breathed while working at Ground Zero.

Story Highlights

Fox News correspondent Eric Shawn says he has two diagnoses recognized by the World Trade Center Health Program.
Shawn worked at Ground Zero on the night of 9/11 and later developed a severe cough before cancer.
Medical literature documents carcinogens in the World Trade Center dust cloud and links to several cancers.
Shawn says his condition is under control and remains under active medical monitoring.

Reporter Links Illnesses To Ground Zero Exposure

Fox News correspondent Eric Shawn said on air that he has two diagnoses under the World Trade Center Health Program and that he developed cancer after exposure to the toxic dust from the 9/11 attack sites. He explained that he went to the World Trade Center site the night of the attacks and worked a twelve-hour shift amid the debris and smoke. He later described the dust as unavoidable for anyone who was below Canal Street that week.

Shawn said that by November 2001 he developed an uncontrollable cough. A doctor told him he had what many called the “World Trade Center cough.” He later disclosed that he faced ongoing bronchitis and then cancer, which he attributed to that exposure while reporting. Coverage at the time framed his admission as a personal update shared on the 24th anniversary of 9/11, when he reminded viewers of the long health toll on survivors and workers from that day.

Diagnoses, Monitoring, And Care Under The WTC Program

Shawn said his illnesses are recognized within the World Trade Center Health Program, which evaluates whether a condition fits listed 9/11-related criteria. He has described his cancer care as under control, with follow-up biopsies and active monitoring to track changes. Later reporting indicates he has been monitored for prostate cancer and was diagnosed with skin cancer, conditions he has publicly linked to the dust. He stressed that he is in good hands and is following his doctors’ plan.

The World Trade Center Health Program sets clinical policies for certification and care of conditions tied to documented 9/11 exposure histories. Program materials explain how conditions are evaluated, including latency and exposure windows for covered illnesses. While program recognition helps patients access care, it functions within a medical and administrative framework focused on exposure history and accepted links for certain diseases. That is why enrollment and certification are meaningful for the men and women impacted by that day.

What Science Says About 9/11 Dust And Cancer Risk

Peer-reviewed research shows the dust cloud contained known and suspected carcinogens, including asbestos, benzene, dioxins, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Studies of exposed groups have reported higher incidences for some cancers, such as prostate and thyroid cancers and certain blood cancers, even as overall patterns differ by cohort. No single paper covers every case, but the literature supports that 9/11 exposure can raise risk for specific cancers among people who breathed that dust.

Fox’s Eric Shawn Realized a ‘Tragic Legacy’ of 9/11 After Developing Cancer from Covering the ‘Shocking Hellscape’ (Exclusive) https://t.co/blWaRFperA

— People (@people) September 9, 2026

This science backdrop fits Shawn’s account of exposure, early respiratory illness, and later cancer. He worked in lower Manhattan in the hours after the towers fell, developed a harsh cough within weeks, and years later faced diagnoses that the World Trade Center Health Program recognizes for care. His story reflects the broader toll on many who served, worked, or lived downtown. Their needs endure long after the cameras left, and their care depends on programs that must stay strong.

A Quarter Century Later, The Human Cost Remains

Shawn’s story is a reminder that national security begins at home. America asks reporters, first responders, soldiers, and citizens to step up in crisis. Many did on 9/11 and paid a price in the years since. President Trump has highlighted support for those affected, and Congress and agencies must keep the commitment to medical monitoring and treatment. Patriotism means standing by the people who showed up when it counted, and ensuring their care is never put at risk.