A study led by Yale researchers has found a connection between exposure to certain chemicals in firefighting and the development of gliomas, a type of brain cancer. Published in Cancer journal, the findings highlight the need for further research and preventive measures.
A recent study has revealed a concerning association between exposure to certain chemicals frequently encountered in firefighting and an elevated risk of glioma, a type of brain cancer. This research emphasizes the occupational hazards faced by firefighters, reinforcing earlier studies that hinted at such risks.
Elizabeth B. Claus, a professor at Yale School of Public Health, member of Yale Cancer Center and founder of the International Low Grade Glioma Registry, headed the research.
The findings indicated that some glioma tumors in firefighters displayed unique genetic patterns, or “mutational signatures,” linked to chemicals known as haloalkanes. These chemicals are often found in flame retardants, fire extinguishants and propellants.
“Although glioma is largely associated with mutational processes that correlate with age, our finding that some gliomas have tumor signatures associated with environmental agents, such as haloalkanes, is of great interest given the lack of risk factors previously identified for glioma development,” Claus said in a news release.
Published in the American Cancer Society’s journal Cancer, the study compared glioma tumors from 35 participants, including 17 firefighters with an average of 22 years in the field, to those from 18 individuals in non-firefighting occupations.
The analysis revealed a higher presence of haloalkane-associated mutational signatures in the firefighters’ tumors.
Interestingly, non-firefighters in high-exposure jobs, such as shipyard workers and painters, also exhibited these signatures.
“Although intriguing, our study is small and will require confirmation in larger samples,” Claus added. “It will also be of interest to explore whether these tumor patterns are seen in other types of cancers in firefighters, as well as in persons who may have high exposure to haloalkanes by virtue of their occupation or environment. Identification of exposure risk would be helpful in developing preventive measures.”
Claus’s research team included collaborators from Emmanuel College, the University of California San Francisco, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the University of Southern California.
Source: Yale School of Medicine