Firefighter cancer fact check · firefighters have a 100 percent increased risk (100 percent =...
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Although cancer is the leading cause of firefighter line-of-duty deaths, firefighters are not ?68 percent more likely to develop cancer than the general population.? Accurate data is crucial when quantifying occupational cancer?s toll on?and threat to?firefighters and their families. Recently, a number of well-intended journalists, legislators, manufacturers, and others have cited inaccurate firefighter cancer statistics, including the following erroneous examples: - ?? the risk of cancer in firefighters is 250% greater than in people not in our line of work.? - ?In all, researchers found that more than two-thirds of firefighters?68 percent?develop cancer, compared to about 22 percent for the general population? ? - ?Firefighters? have a 68% higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer than the general population.? - ?Research is showing 68% of firefighters will come down with cancer on average.? - ?? More than two-thirds of firefighters are diagnosed with? cancer.? - ?? 63% of all firefighters will get cancer.? - ?? [Researchers] found that firefighters are twice as likely to be diagnosed with cancer...? - ?? [F]irefighters are 50 percent more likely to be diagnosed with cancer than the...U.S. population.? - ?A firefighter has a 29% higher risk of contracting cancer than the rest of our population.? The proliferation of inaccurate statistics concerns Rober t D. Daniels, PhD, CHP. In 2010, Daniels led the largest cancer study of U.S. firefighters to date for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). ? Some sources cite our study as reporting a two-fold excess of cancer among firefighters, then go on to say that two-thirds of firefighters are diagnosed with cancer,? Daniels said. ?Neither statement is correct.? Here are the facts: Firefighters have a 9 percent higher risk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14 percent higher risk of dying from cancer than the general U.S. population, according to the NIOSH study results. The cancers mostly responsible for this higher risk were respiratory (lung, mesothelioma), GI (oral cavity, esophageal, large intestine), and kidney. It?s important to note that firefighters?risks are significantly higher for some specific types of cancer . The NIOSH researchers did report a two-fold excess of malignant mesothelioma, a very rare cancer. Put another way, firefighters have a 100 percent increased risk (100 percent = double = 2 times) of getting mesothelioma. Firefighters have a 8 CANCER HAS CAUSED 61% OF CAREER F IREF IGHTER LINE -OF-DUTY DEATHS S INCE 2002.HEART D ISEASE CAUSED 18% OF THE LINE -OF-DUTY DEATHS . Firefighter cancer fact check Firefighter Cancer Support Network | FirefighterCancerSupport.org ? IAFF data 1.1.2002 to 3.31.2017
Transcript of Firefighter cancer fact check · firefighters have a 100 percent increased risk (100 percent =...
Al though cancer i s the l eading cause of f i r ef i ghter l i ne-of -duty deaths, f i r ef i ghter s ar e not ?68 per cent m or e l i kely to develop cancer than the gener al populat i on.? Accurate data is crucial when quanti fying occupational cancer?s tol l on?and threat to?fi r ef ighter s and their fami l ies. Recently, a number of well-intended journalists, legislator s, manufacturer s, and others have ci ted i naccur ate f i r ef i ghter cancer stat i st i cs, including t he fol l ow ing er r oneous exam ples:
- ?? the r isk of cancer in f i r ef ighter s is 250% greater than in people not in our l ine of work.?
- ?In al l , r esearchers found that more than two-thir ds of f i r ef ighter s?68 percent?develop cancer , compared to about 22 percent for the general population? ?
- ?Fir ef ighter s? have a 68% higher r isk of being diagnosed w ith cancer than the general population.?
- ?Research is show ing 68% of f i r ef ighter s w i l l come dow n w ith cancer on average.?
- ?? More than two-thir ds of f i r ef ighter s are diagnosed w ith? cancer.?
- ?? 63% of al l f i r ef ighter s w i l l get cancer.? - ?? [Researchers] found that f i r ef ighter s are tw ice as
l ikely to be diagnosed w ith cancer...? - ?? [F]i r ef ighter s are 50 percent more l ikely to be
diagnosed w ith cancer than the...U.S. population.?- ?A f i r ef ighter has a 29% higher r isk of contracting
cancer than the r est of our population.?
The prol i feration of inaccurate statistics concerns Rober t D. Daniel s, PhD, CHP. In 2010, Daniels led the largest cancer study of U.S. f i r ef ighter s to date for the National Insti tute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). ?Som e sour ces ci te our study as r epor t i ng a two-fold excess of cancer am ong f i r ef i ghter s, then go on to say that two-th i r ds of f i r ef i ghter s ar e diagnosed w i th cancer ,? Daniel s said. ?Nei ther statem ent i s cor r ect .?
Her e ar e the facts: Fir ef ighter s have a 9 percent higher r isk of being diagnosed with cancer and a 14 percent higher r isk of dying from cancer than the general U.S. population, according to the NIOSH study r esults. The cancers mostly r esponsible for this higher r isk were r espir ator y (lung, mesothelioma), GI (oral cavi ty, esophageal, large intestine), and kidney.
I t ?s im por tant to note that f i r ef i ghter s? r i sks ar e sign i f i cant ly h igher for some specific types of cancer . The NIOSH researchers did r epor t a two-fold excess of malignant mesothelioma, a ver y r are cancer. Put another way, f i r ef ighter s have a 100 percent increased r isk (100 percent = double = 2 times) of getting mesothelioma. Fir ef ighter s have a
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CANCER HAS CAUSED 61% OF CAREER FIREFIGHTER LINE-OF-DUTY DEATHS SINCE 2002. HEART DISEASE CAUSED 18% OF THE LINE-OF-DUTY DEATHS.
Firef ight er cancer fact check
Firef ight er Cancer Suppor t Net work | FirefighterCancerSupport.org
? IAFF data 1.1.2002 to 3.31.2017
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129 percent increased r isk of dying from mesothelioma. (The ear l ier LeMaster s meta-analysis also r epor ted a two-fold excess for testicular cancer.)
Fir ef ighter s have a 62 percent higher r isk of getting esophageal cancer , and they have a 39 percent increased r isk of dying from esophageal cancer , according to the NIOSH research.
Here?s an over view w ith some speci f ic additional r isks for f i r ef ighter s noted:
- testicular cancer - 2.02 times the r isk (again: 100% = double = 2 times)
- mesothelioma - 2.0 times greater r isk; - multiple myeloma -1.53 times greater r isk; - non-Hodgkin?s lymphoma - 1.51 times
greater r isk; - skin cancer - 1.39 times greater r isk; - malignant melanoma - 1.31 times
greater r isk; - brain cancer -1.31 times greater r isk; - prostate cancer - 1.28 times greater r isk; - colon cancer -1.21 times great r isk; and - leukemia - 1.14 times greater r isk.
Note that some f i r e depar tments are addressing occupational-cancer r ates that are higher than national averages. FCSN instr uctor s ci te insurer statistics for Miami-Dade Fir e Rescue: 32 percent (near ly one-thir d) of MDFR?s active members were diagnosed w ith cancer or r eceiving cancer tr eatment between 2008-2010.
Bot tom l i ne: Fi r ef i ghter s do have h igher cancer r i sks than the gener al populat i on, and thei r r i sks ar e significantly h igher for som e speci f i c t ypes of cancer .
We encourage journalists, legislator s, and others who address occupational cancer to contact the nonprofi t Fir ef ighter Cancer Suppor t Network at [email protected] for accurate information and vi tal context about cancer in the f i r e ser vice.
In the meantime, i f you see inaccurate claims, please poli tely share these cor rect statistics and suggest a r evision. ? Timothy Elliott
Prevent ing Cancer in t he Fire Service
Copyright © 2013-2017 by the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (FCSN). All rights reserved. This publication may not be altered, sold, reproduced, or distributed for commercial purposes without prior written permission of FCSN. For reprints and other permission requests, send an email to [email protected]. To receive FCSN updates, sign up at bit.ly/FCSN_News.
