Firefighting Foam & Cancer

Firefighting foam, also known as aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF), is a substance used to extinguish high-intensity fires. Unfortunately, exposure to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which is commonly found in firefighting foam, has been linked to several different types of cancers.

Many patients with PFAS-related cancer are now taking legal action against the manufacturers of firefighting foam, seeking justice and compensation for their injuries.

PFAS Chemicals in Firefighting Foam Linked to Cancer

Since the early 1990s, medical literature has consistently shown that PFAS-containing firefighting foam is extremely harmful to human health.

In addition to thyroid disease and ulcerative colitis, over a dozen different cancers have been linked to higher-than-average volumes of PFAS in a person’s blood, including:

• Bladder cancer
• Breast cancer
• Leukemia
• Liver cancer
• Lymphoma
• Multiple myeloma
• Pancreatic cancer
• Prostate cancer
• Renal or kidney cancer
• Testicular cancer
• Thyroid cancer
• Ulcerative colitis
• Uterine or endometrial cancer

Firefighters who have been exposed to cancer-causing firefighting foam — especially airport and military firefighters — may want to share their exposure history with their doctors and attend regular medical checkups to keep a close eye on their health.

Who Can File a PFAS Cancer Lawsuit?

You may be eligible to file a PFAS cancer lawsuit if you or a loved one suffered exposure to the dangerous chemicals while working as a firefighter and were later diagnosed with cancer.

Get free help determining your eligibility to take legal action. Call (888) 814-5657 now to get started.

Bladder Cancer

A landmark report by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that firefighters showed higher rates of certain types of cancer, including urinary or bladder cancer, when compared to the general U.S. population.

In a study that examined PFAS-contaminated water in certain communities, researchers detected an increased risk of bladder cancer in both males and females, further solidifying the connection between PFAS and bladder cancer.

Breast Cancer

The most common cancer among women in the Western world, breast cancer, has long been associated with exposure to toxins and pollutants, including PFAS. Such chemicals may cause a disturbance in hormone levels, which weaken the body’s ability to fight pathogens, contributing to the development of breast cancer.

Leukemia

One of the groups of people that may be most affected by PFAS-related cancer — firefighters — has also been shown to have increased rates of leukemia.

According to the CDC, the more fires that an individual firefighter helps extinguish, the higher their exposure to harmful carcinogens, including PFAS. As a result, firefighters are at a greater risk of developing leukemia when compared to the general population.

Liver Cancer

In a 13-year-long toxicological study involving 120 workers who were exposed to PFAS, researchers found evidence to suggest the development of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer is associated with higher concentrations of PFAS in the blood.

Additional studies have found that PFAS can cause damage to the overall immune system, including the liver, which plays a vital role in processing and filtering out harmful chemicals that enter the body.

Lymphoma

According to a growing body of research, blood levels with higher concentrations of PFAS may be associated with several different types of cancers, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a devastating disease that attacks the body’s immune system.

One such study, which examined 70,000 people living in close proximity to a chemical plant that produced certain PFAS, found a higher incidence rate of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Pancreatic Cancer

As with the kidneys and the liver, PFAS chemicals can also accumulate inside the pancreas over time from prolonged exposure. Both human and animal studies have shown that PFAS chemicals can actively disrupt both the endocrine and immune systems, putting stress on vital organs like the pancreas.

Studies have also shown long-term exposure to PFAS to be linked to the formation of cancerous cells within the pancreas.

The accumulation of PFAS in the pancreas can generate a condition known as oxidative stress, which limits the body’s ability to fight back against carcinogens and promotes the progression of cancer.

Prostate Cancer

Firefighters are exposed to a number of carcinogens on the job, putting them at an elevated risk for developing certain types of cancer. In a recent report on firefighter health risks, the CDC identified a significant correlation between firefighters under 65 years old and the development of both bladder and prostate cancers.

Additional evidence suggests that blood containing elevated levels of PFOA — a type of PFAS chemical — is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer and higher overall prostate cancer mortality levels.

Renal (Kidney) Cancer

In the largest study to date on the link between firefighting foam and kidney cancer risk, researchers found evidence to suggest that people with higher concentrations of PFAS in their blood serum were more than twice as likely to develop kidney cancer compared to those with lower concentrations of the chemicals.

Testicular Cancer

Past scientific evidence has shown a relationship between exposure to firefighting foam and testicular cancer, though the strength of this connection is still being determined.

Additional studies are currently being conducted, including a key research project by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) involving 800 U.S. Air Force veterans, to better determine the link between PFAS levels in the blood and increased testicular cancer risk.

File a PFAS Firefighter Lawsuit for Cancer

If you or someone you love has developed cancer, and you believe PFAS may have been the cause, it’s important to seek legal assistance as quickly as possible. Due to state laws known as statutes of limitations, firefighting foam victims only have a limited amount of time to file a PFAS lawsuit.

Our PFAS attorneys work to maximize the value of any legal claim you may file — and to provide knowledge, guidance, and assurance along the way — so that you can focus on the things that matter most: your health and your family.

Get a free consultation now to find out if you may be able to file a PFAS firefighter lawsuit.