Firefighters Face Elevated Mortality Rates for Skin and Kidney Cancer
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Aug. 1, 2025 -- Occupation as a firefighter is associated with elevated cancer mortality, especially for skin and kidney cancer, according to a study published online July 29 in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Lauren R. Teras, Ph.D., from the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, and colleagues used data from more than 470,000 men enrolled in a population-based prospective cohort to examine associations between occupation as a firefighter and cancer mortality. Survival time was compared among firefighters and other male participants in the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study-II Cohort using data obtained from surveys conducted among cancer-free individuals with 36 years of follow-up (1982 to 2018).
The researchers observed an association for occupation as a firefighter (compared with other career professionals) with most cancers, which was strongest for skin and kidney cancer mortality (hazard ratios, 1.72 and 1.39, respectively). For prostate and colorectal cancer mortality, suggestive increases were observed with more years as a firefighter. Only after three decades of follow-up was an association with lung cancer apparent. With control for confounders and changes in the referent group to include all nonfirefighter occupations, most associations were attenuated, but associations with skin and kidney cancers persisted.
"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," Teras said in a statement. "Continued efforts to safeguard the health of firefighters by increasing access to cancer screening, early detection, and prevention are paramount."
One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries.
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2025
Read this next
High Response to PD-1 Therapy Seen in Unresectable Desmoplastic Melanoma
TUESDAY, Aug. 19, 2025 -- Patients with advanced desmoplastic melanoma have high response to single-agent anti-programmed death protein 1 (PD-1) therapy, according to a study...
Sustained Clinical Benefit Seen for Pembrolizumab + Axitinib in Advanced Renal Cancer
FRIDAY, Aug. 8, 2025 -- For patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC), there is a sustained clinical benefit with pembrolizumab plus axitinib, according to a study...
Presurgical Immunotherapy Offers Long-Term Benefit in Melanoma
FRIDAY, July 18, 2025 -- Neoadjuvant systemic treatment (NST) followed by adjuvant treatment with nivolumab and relatlimab offers long-term benefit in adults with stage III/IV...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.