Firefighters face a higher brain cancer risk associated with gene mutations caused by chemical exposure, study suggests

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March 10, 2025, 7:00 AM

• •Firefighters have higher rates of a mutational signature linked to exposure to haloalkanes, which are used in flame retardants, fire extinguishants, refrigerants, and other products.
• •The mutational signature was also more common in non-firefighters with occupations that also possibly exposed them to haloalkanes, such as car painting and machine maintenance.
• •The findings provide preliminary data that will need confirmation in a larger data set and across a wider range of occupations.

A new study has found that firefighters are more likely to develop gliomas, the most common type of malignant brain tumor, than people with other occupations. The study, published in the journal Cancer, found that firefighters were more likely to have a mutational signature associated with exposure to haloalkanes, which are used in flame retardants, fire extinguishants, refrigerants, and other products. The researchers say that their findings could help to identify occupational hazards that may be avoidable.

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