Cancer among Indiana Firefighters: Case-Control Studies
National Institute for Public Safety Health, Inc., Principal Investigator - Steven M. Moffatt, M.D.
RELEVANCE
Research has established that firefighters are occupationally exposed to carcinogens and have an increased risk of cancer as compared to the general population. However, previous studies generally lack detailed information on work exposures, medical, and lifestyle covariates. Case-control studies of cancer among firefighters can elucidate cancer risk factors - what makes some firefighters more likely to develop cancer than others- and thus, inform prevention.
METHODS
Building on prior studies and existing medical databases/registries, we plan to conduct two case-control studies of cancer incidence and mortality among Indiana firefighters. For career firefighters, several hundred to thousand cancer cases will be drawn from three overlapping databases: death certificates from the Indiana State Department of Health, the Indiana State Cancer Registry, and the Regenstrief Institute. Matching career firefighter controls will be drawn from the Public Safety Medical (PSM) Database. For the volunteer study, as many cases as possible will be identified from the same sources, while matched controls will be drawn from the Indiana Volunteer Fire Council (IVFC) and the PSM database.
ANTICIPATED OUTCOMES
Case-control studies of cancer among firefighters can provide epidemiologic evidence regarding cancer risk factors among firefighters and thus, better inform fire service cancer prevention strategies.