Be Cognizant of Hormonal Factors Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Historically, parous women – women who have given birth – were known to be less likely to develop breast cancer than nulliparous women – women who have never given birth. This protective effect of pregnancy reduces the risk of developing a type of breast cancer called estrogen receptor-positive tumor (242-244). Importantly, the risk reduction is only manifested after a decade or longer following a woman’s last pregnancy, with greater protection conferred with increasing time (242-244). Parous women are at reduced risk for developing breast cancer after menopause (when most breast cancers are diagnosed) compared to their nulliparous peers. In contrast, between five to ten years after giving birth, known as the postpartum period, women face a short-term, elevated risk for a different type of breast cancer called estrogen receptor-negative tumors compared to women who have never given birth (245). Finally, young women are at a higher risk of developing tripleOccupation and Cancer Risk in Firefighters Firefighters are at a greater risk of developing several types of cancer because of the constant exposure to smoke and other hazardous materials (226,227). In 2022, IARC characterized firefighting as a class 1 carcinogen because there is sufficient evidence that firefighters are more likely to develop many types of cancers. THE RISKS All firefighters, regardless of their status as a career or a volunteer firefighter, are exposed to a wide range of carcinogenic compounds due to the environmental conditions in which they work (230). Modern homes and furnishings are made of synthetic and plastic materials, which release more unburned particulates (i.e., smoke) compared to natural products made from wood and cloth. Even after the fire is extinguished, carcinogenic particulates remain on turnout gear and equipment, which can be brought back to the fire apparatus and fire station if appropriate decontamination procedures are not followed. THE CANCERS Reports indicate that firefighters have a nine percent higher risk of being diagnosed with, and a 14 percent higher risk of dying from cancer compared to the general U.S. population. Firefighters have a higher risk of being diagnosed with certain specific cancer types, including: (231-235) INITIATIVES TO ADDRESS RISKS In 2023, the CDC launched the National Firefighter Registry for Cancer (NFR) in collaboration with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in response to the Firefighter Cancer Registry Act passed in 2018 by Congress. This registry is the largest effort undertaken so far to understand cancer burden among U.S. firefighters. The NFR expands upon previous registries by including more women, diverse racial and ethnic groups, and volunteer firefighters, making the data more inclusive and representative. These data will pave the way for new health and safety measures for firefighters to protect them from developing cancer. SIDEBAR 17 Testicular cancer 2X greater Thyroid cancer 2.1X greater Mesothelioma 2X greater Brain cancer 1.31X greater Prostate cancer 1.28X greater Colon cancer 1.21X greater Skin cancer 1.39X greater Multiple myeloma 1.5X greater Non-Hodgkin lymphoma 1.5X greater Leukemia 1.14X greater AACR Cancer Progress Report 2023 Reducing the Risk of Cancer Development 52
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTkzMzk=