NIOSH and USFA to study cancer among firefighters

摘要

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the United States Fire Administration (USFA) will jointly undertake a multiyear study to examine the potential for increased risk of cancer among firefighters caused by exposures to smoke, soot, and other contaminants in the line of duty.rnMore than 18,000 current and retired career firefighters from suburban and large city fire departments will participate in the project, significantly increasing the number of individuals for whom health data will be analyzed. The study will also analyze the incidence of certain cancers that have higher survival rates than others, such as testicular and prostate cancer, as well as deaths from causes other than cancer. This will improve researchers' ability to estimate risk for various cancers and to compare the risk of cancer with risks for other causes of death.