Risk of Cancer Among Firefighters in California, 1988-2007

Overview

Journal Am J Ind Med

Specialty Occupational Medicine

Date 2015 May 7

PMID 25943908

Citations 54

Authors

Rebecca J Tsai

Sara E Luckhaupt

Pam Schumacher

Rosemary D Cress

Dennis M Deapen

Geoffrey M Calvert

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Most studies of firefighter cancer risks were conducted prior to 1990 and do not reflect risk from advances in building materials.

Methods: A case-control study using California Cancer Registry data (1988-2007) was conducted to evaluate the risk of cancer among firefighters, stratified by race.

Results: This study identified 3,996 male firefighters with cancer. Firefighters were found to have a significantly elevated risk for melanoma (odds ratio [OR] = 1.8; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4-2.1), multiple myeloma (OR 1.4; 95%CI 1.0-1.8), acute myeloid leukemia (OR 1.4; 95%CI 1.0-2.0), and cancers of the esophagus (OR 1.6; 95%CI 1.2-2.1), prostate (OR 1.5; 95%CI 1.3-1.7), brain (OR 1.5; 95%CI 1.2-2.0), and kidney (OR 1.3; 95%CI 1.0-1.6).

Conclusions: In addition to observing cancer findings consistent with previous research, this study generated novel findings for firefighters with race/ethnicity other than white. It provides additional evidence to support the association between firefighting and several specific cancers.

Citing Articles

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