Firefighters are easy to get cancer

The incidence of cancer in firefighters is much higher than for those who do other jobs. The reason is that they often come into contact with toxic substances such as benzene, chloroform and caustic soda.

Firefighters often come into contact with cancer-causing chemicals.(Photo: flickr.com)

Experts at the University of Cincinnati (USA) explore the incidence of cancer in 110,000 firefighters in the US and Europe. The team found that firefighters had a 100% higher chance of developing testicular cancer than others, while the risk of prostate cancer was 28% higher. In addition, the risk of leukemia and myeloma in firefighters is up to 50% higher than the average.

Dr. Grace LeMasters, the lead researcher, said that firefighters often had to deal with many potentially cancer-causing chemicals, such as benzene, chloroform, caustic soda, styrene and formaldehyde. They can penetrate the body through the respiratory tract or skin every time they perform a fire task.

The protective equipment for firefighters is often cumbersome, heavy and causes a sense of entanglement when worn, so most firefighters don't like them. As soon as the fire is finished, they often remove them immediately without knowing that there are still many chemicals and caustics around the scene.

James Lockey, a member of the research team, said that firefighters should be equipped with devices to prevent chemical penetration through the respiratory tract and skin.

"In addition, firefighters should regularly clean themselves to remove caustic soda and other chemicals on people , " he said.

Viet Linh