Highlights:
- Skin and kidney stand out: Firefighters had 58% higher skin cancer and 40% higher kidney cancer mortality than other workers.
- Risk climbs with time: Prostate and colorectal cancer risks rose with more years on the job; a lung cancer signal didn’t appear until over 30 years of follow-up.
- Big, long-term study and the real takeaway: Over 470K firefighters tracked for 36 years; findings reinforce strict decon, skin-protective PPE and regular screenings.
ATLANTA — After tracking firefighters for more than 30 years, a new study reports increased mortality from skin, kidney and other cancers. The findings build on the 2022 International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) conclusion that firefighting causes mesothelioma and bladder cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.
The study appeared in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
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“Our findings support the growing body of research linking firefighter exposures to cancer risk,” Dr. Lauren Teras, senior scientific director, epidemiology research at the American Cancer Society, and lead author of the study, said. “The associations with skin, kidney, prostate, and colorectal cancer notably help to fill gaps for cancers that were considered to have limited or inadequate evidence in the previous IARC review.”
Researchers analyzed over 470,000 firefighters in the ACS CPS-II cohort, comparing their mortality to that of other employed men over 36 years (1982–2018). Jobs were coded using 1980 Census categories and cancer deaths were classified by ICD.
Firefighting was linked to higher cancer mortality overall, with the strongest increases for skin (+58%) and kidney (+40%). Prostate and colorectal risks rose with longer tenure, and a lung cancer signal appeared only after over 30 years of follow-up.
Long-term follow-up was crucial, underscoring the need for rigorous, skin-protective PPE and decades-long studies that control for smoking and socioeconomic factors.
“Although this isn’t favorable news, this study shines a spotlight on the long-term risks firefighters face beyond the immediate dangers of fighting a fire. Continued efforts to safeguard the health of firefighters by increasing access to cancer screening, early detection, and prevention are paramount,” Teras said. “This population plays a crucial role in our communities as first responders and protectors of life and property.”
