Do firefighters face a higher brain cancer risk associated with gene mutations caused by chemical exposure?

Gene mutations caused by exposure to certain chemical compounds have been linked to the development of gliomas, the most common type of malignant brain tumor. New research reveals that among patients with gliomas, these mutations are more common in firefighters than in individuals with other occupations. The findings are published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.

The gene mutations of interest in this study make up a mutational pattern or “signature” that other investigators previously associated with exposure to haloalkanes, which are used in flame retardants, fire extinguishants, refrigerants, and other products.

“As firefighters have exposure to such chemical agents, we examined mutational signatures in glioma brain tumors diagnosed in persons who worked as firefighters versus those who did not,” said senior author Elizabeth B. Claus, MD, PhD, a professor at the Yale University School of Public Health and attending neurosurgeon at Mass General Brigham.

Among 35 participants in the University of California Adult Glioma Study, 17 had an occupational history of firefighting. Compared with the other 18 participants, firefighters were more likely to have the haloalkane-associated mutational signature, especially if they had been firefighters for many years. Among non-firefighters, the mutational signature was more likely in those with occupations that also possibly exposed them to haloalkanes, such as car painting and machine maintenance.

“Our study provides preliminary data but will need confirmation in a larger data set and across a wider range of occupations,” said Dr. Claus. “Identifying exposure to such mutational agents is important to inform public health intervention strategies and pinpoint occupational hazards that may be avoidable.”

Additional information
NOTE: The information contained in this release is protected by copyright. Please include journal attribution in all coverage. A free abstract of this article will be available via the CANCER Newsroom upon online publication. For more information or to obtain a PDF of any study, please contact: Sara Henning-Stout, newsroom@wiley.com

Full Citation:
“Glioma mutational signatures associated with haloalkane exposure are enriched in firefighters.” Vincent L. Cannataro, Paige M. Bracci, Jennie W. Taylor, Lucie McCoy, Terri Rice, Helen M. Hansen, Anne E. Heffernan, Joseph Wiemels, John Wiencke, Margaret Wrensch, and Elizabeth B. Claus. CANCER; Published Online: March 10, 2025 (DOI: 10.1002/cncr.35732). 

URL: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/cncr.35732

About the Journal     
CANCER is a peer-reviewed publication of the American Cancer Society integrating scientific information from worldwide sources for all oncologic specialties. The objective of CANCER is to provide an interdisciplinary forum for the exchange of information among oncologic disciplines concerned with the etiology, course, and treatment of human cancer. CANCER is published on behalf of the American Cancer Society by Wiley and can be accessed online. Follow CANCER on X @JournalCancer and Instagram @ACSJournalCancer, and stay up to date with the American Cancer Society Journals on LinkedIn.

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