Abstract
To test the hypothesis that firefighter exposures may increase cancer risk, mortality rates were calculated for 3,066 San Francisco Fire Department firefighters employed between 1940 and 1970. Vital status was ascertained through 1982, and observed and expected rates, rate ratios (RR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using United States death rates for comparison. The total number deceased (1,186) was less than expected and there were fewer cancer deaths than expected. However, there were significant excess numbers of deaths from esophageal cancer (12 observed, 6 expected), cirrhosis and other liver diseases (59 observed, 26 expected), and accidental falls (21 observed, 11 expected). There were 24 line-of-duty deaths, which were primarily due to vehicular injury, falls, and asphyxiation. Heart disease and respiratory disease deaths occurred significantly less often than expected. It was concluded that the increased risks of death from esophageal cancer and cirrhosis and other liver diseases may have been due to firefighter exposures, alcohol consumption, or interaction between alcohol and exposures. Because this was an older cohort and firefighter exposures have changed due to the increasing use of synthetic materials, it is recommended that the effects of modern-day exposures be further studied.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 357-372 |
| Number of pages | 16 |
| Journal | American Journal of Industrial Medicine |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| State | Published - 1991 |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Cite this
An epidemiologic study of cancer and other causes of mortality in San Francisco firefighters. / Beaumont, J. J.; Chu, G. S T; Jones, J. R.; Schenker, Marc B; Singleton, J. A.; Piantanida, L. G.; Reiterman, M.
In: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, Vol. 19, No. 3, 1991, p. 357-372.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - An epidemiologic study of cancer and other causes of mortality in San Francisco firefighters
AU - Beaumont, J. J.
AU - Chu, G. S T
AU - Jones, J. R.
AU - Schenker, Marc B
AU - Singleton, J. A.
AU - Piantanida, L. G.
AU - Reiterman, M.
PY - 1991
Y1 - 1991
N2 - To test the hypothesis that firefighter exposures may increase cancer risk, mortality rates were calculated for 3,066 San Francisco Fire Department firefighters employed between 1940 and 1970. Vital status was ascertained through 1982, and observed and expected rates, rate ratios (RR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using United States death rates for comparison. The total number deceased (1,186) was less than expected and there were fewer cancer deaths than expected. However, there were significant excess numbers of deaths from esophageal cancer (12 observed, 6 expected), cirrhosis and other liver diseases (59 observed, 26 expected), and accidental falls (21 observed, 11 expected). There were 24 line-of-duty deaths, which were primarily due to vehicular injury, falls, and asphyxiation. Heart disease and respiratory disease deaths occurred significantly less often than expected. It was concluded that the increased risks of death from esophageal cancer and cirrhosis and other liver diseases may have been due to firefighter exposures, alcohol consumption, or interaction between alcohol and exposures. Because this was an older cohort and firefighter exposures have changed due to the increasing use of synthetic materials, it is recommended that the effects of modern-day exposures be further studied.
AB - To test the hypothesis that firefighter exposures may increase cancer risk, mortality rates were calculated for 3,066 San Francisco Fire Department firefighters employed between 1940 and 1970. Vital status was ascertained through 1982, and observed and expected rates, rate ratios (RR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using United States death rates for comparison. The total number deceased (1,186) was less than expected and there were fewer cancer deaths than expected. However, there were significant excess numbers of deaths from esophageal cancer (12 observed, 6 expected), cirrhosis and other liver diseases (59 observed, 26 expected), and accidental falls (21 observed, 11 expected). There were 24 line-of-duty deaths, which were primarily due to vehicular injury, falls, and asphyxiation. Heart disease and respiratory disease deaths occurred significantly less often than expected. It was concluded that the increased risks of death from esophageal cancer and cirrhosis and other liver diseases may have been due to firefighter exposures, alcohol consumption, or interaction between alcohol and exposures. Because this was an older cohort and firefighter exposures have changed due to the increasing use of synthetic materials, it is recommended that the effects of modern-day exposures be further studied.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 2008922
AN - SCOPUS:0025980921
VL - 19
SP - 357
EP - 372
JO - American Journal of Industrial Medicine
JF - American Journal of Industrial Medicine
SN - 0271-3586
IS - 3
ER -