A recent American Cancer Society (ACS) study revealed that firefighters who are always busy extinguishing fires are at an increased risk from different types of cancers, including kidney, skin, and more.
According to research published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, firefighters experience long-term risks beyond the imminent threats of fighting the blaze.
The study included more than 470,000 individuals who were firefighters, and compared their mortality rates due to cancer to those of male participants working in different fields.
The results indicated the 72% escalated risks for skin cancers and 39% increased risks for kidney cancer.
It also noted 8% higher risks for lung cancers, 15% for colon cancer and 14% for prostate cancer.
Researchers stated that the increased risk for life-threatening skin cancers is likely due to continuous exposure to fire without proper skin protection.
They advised several precautionary measures to keep themselves protected.
The slightly higher risk for lung cancer only arose among firefighters who’d been on the job for 30 or more years, the researchers pointed out.
Lead author and the ACS’ senior scientific director of epidemiology research, Lauren Teras, stated, “Our findings support the growing body of research linking firefighter exposures to cancer risk.”
“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,” Teras added.
Teras mentioned that a previous study from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) found that firefighting significantly increases the odds for mesothelioma and bladder cancer.
However, it remained undetermined for different types of tumours.
