Especially if they have been doing it for a long time.
Nearly 6000 new cases of brain cancers are identified each year in France. Among these cancers, doctors distinguish primitive tumors, that is to say that arise in brain cells, tumors secondary to cancer that started elsewhere in the body. The majority of primitive brain cancers are gliomas. They are serious and increasingly studied to understand their causes. A recent study from the University of California in San Francisco sheds new light on risk factors associated with this fatal disease, in particular with regard to certain professions.
Thanks to genomic sequencing and statistical analysis methods, researchers were able to examine precisely how professional and environmental exhibitions affect the risk of developing glioma. The study involved 35 participants, including 17 people with glioma and with specific professional history compared to 18 people with glioma without the same professional history. The results have shown a significant correlation between exposure to haloalcans and the presence of specific genetic mutations in professionals of professionals.
Haloalcans are chemical compounds present in certain fire extinguishers, flame delayers, and pesticides. According to researchers, the firefighter profession thus increases the risk of glioma. “There was a positive correlation among firefighters between the number of specific changes associated with exposure to haloalcanes and the years of fire fighting” explain the authors in theACS Journal. The glioma declared itself on average 7 years after the exhibition. Curiously, among non-pompiers (group witness to 18 people), those with the highest number of these same changes were often used in trades also exposing them to these chemicals, such as painting or mechanics.
These discoveries highlight the importance of adopting increased safety measures to protect workers from exposure to harmful chemicals and thus reduce the risk of gliomas and other serious illnesses. They also recall the need to continue research to better understand and prevent risks linked to professional environments.