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What Percentage of Firefighters Get Cancer? The Numbers Every Chief Should Know

by | Jul 27, 2026 | Firefighter Health

firefighters cancer

Ask ten firefighters what percentage of them will get cancer, and someone will say 68 percent. It gets repeated at trainings, in union halls, and across social media. It is also not what the research says. The real numbers are serious enough on their own, and as a chief, you deserve the accurate version rather than the viral one. Here is what the largest studies actually found, why the job itself is now classified alongside tobacco as a known carcinogen, and what both mean for how you protect your crew.

DISCLAIMER: This is general information, not legal advice. NDS Wellness is a healthcare provider, not a law firm. Whether any specific obligation applies to your workforce depends on your industry, exposures, and jurisdiction, and should be confirmed with your safety team and employment counsel.

Key Insights

  • The “68 percent” figure is a misread of the data: No credible study shows that two-thirds of firefighters get cancer. That number misrepresents the research, and the Firefighter Cancer Support Network has publicly corrected it.
  • Firefighters face a 9 percent higher cancer diagnosis rate: The landmark NIOSH study of nearly 30,000 career firefighters found a 9 percent higher rate of cancer diagnoses and a 14 percent higher rate of cancer deaths than the general US population.
  • The job is now a Group 1 carcinogen: In 2022, the World Health Organization’s cancer agency reclassified firefighting as “carcinogenic to humans,” the same evidence tier as tobacco and benzene.
  • Cancer is the leading line-of-duty killer: The IAFF reports that cancer caused roughly two-thirds of career firefighter line-of-duty deaths between 2002 and 2019.
  • Early detection is the lever you control: You cannot remove every carcinogen from the job, but regular, on-site screening helps catch cancer at the stage when it is most treatable.

So, What Percentage of Firefighters Get Cancer?

There is no single, clean percentage, and any source that hands you one precise number is oversimplifying. What the research consistently shows is a meaningfully elevated risk, not a coin flip.

Where the “68 Percent” Myth Comes From

The claim that 68 percent of firefighters will get cancer has circulated for years. The Firefighter Cancer Support Network, one of the most trusted voices in the fire service, has directly addressed it and describes it as a misrepresentation of the underlying data. The studies never concluded that most firefighters get cancer. They concluded that firefighters get cancer at higher rates than the public, which is a different and more precise claim.

What the Research Actually Measures

Cancer studies rarely report that a set percentage of a group will get cancer. Instead, they compare how often a group is diagnosed against how often you would expect based on the general population. That comparison is where the real firefighter numbers live, and they are concerning enough without exaggeration.

The NIOSH Study: 9 Percent More Diagnoses, 14 Percent More Deaths

The most authoritative data comes from a multi-year study led by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the federal agency responsible for worker safety research.

The Largest US Firefighter Cancer Study to Date

Between 2010 and 2015, NIOSH, working with the National Cancer Institute and the University of California, Davis, studied nearly 30,000 career firefighters from Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco who served at any time between 1950 and 2009. It remains the largest study of its kind in the United States.

The Headline Findings

Compared with the general US population, the firefighters in the study had a 9 percent higher rate of cancer diagnoses and a 14 percent higher rate of dying from cancer. The increases were driven mainly by cancers of the respiratory, digestive, and urinary systems. NIOSH itself has noted that some media coverage overstated these findings, which is exactly why the accurate numbers matter.

The Cancers That Show Up Most

The elevated risk is not spread evenly. Certain cancers appear far more often in firefighters, and knowing which ones shapes what a screening program should actually look for.

Mesothelioma and Asbestos-Linked Cancers

The NIOSH study was the first to identify an excess of mesothelioma in US firefighters, at roughly twice the rate of the general population. Researchers linked the finding to asbestos exposure in older burning structures.

Digestive, Urinary, and Reproductive Cancers

Firefighters in the research showed a higher risk of esophageal cancer, roughly 62 percent higher for diagnosis according to NIOSH data, and earlier meta-analysis found about a two-fold excess of testicular cancer. Researchers also observed excess bladder and prostate cancers appearing at younger ages than usual.

Why the Job Itself Is Now a Known Carcinogen

In 2022, the science reached a turning point that every chief should understand.

The IARC Group 1 Classification

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the cancer arm of the World Health Organization, reclassified occupational exposure as a firefighter as “carcinogenic to humans,” its highest category (Group 1). That places the job in the same evidence tier as tobacco smoking and benzene. The classification was based on sufficient evidence linking the work to mesothelioma and bladder cancer, with more limited evidence for several other cancers.

What Group 1 Does and Does Not Mean

Here is an important nuance the American Cancer Society points out. A Group 1 classification means there is strong evidence that the exposure can cause cancer. It does not, by itself, say how large that risk is for any one person. In plain terms, the science is now settled that the job carries a real cancer risk, even though the size of that risk varies by individual, role, and years on the line.

Cancer Is the Leading Line-of-Duty Killer

The clearest picture of the human cost comes from line-of-duty death data. The International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) reports that cancer caused roughly two-thirds of career firefighter line-of-duty deaths between 2002 and 2019. For the modern fire service, cancer has quietly become a larger threat than the fires themselves.

What Chiefs Can Actually Do About It

You cannot eliminate carcinogen exposure from firefighting. Detection timing, however, is something a department can control, and it changes outcomes.

The Case for Regular Screening

Most of the cancers driving firefighter risk are far more survivable when caught early. That is the entire argument for routine, comprehensive screening built around firefighter-specific risks, rather than a standard annual physical that was never designed with this exposure profile in mind.

Removing the Barriers to Getting Screened

The screening that gets skipped is the one that requires a day off and a drive across town. Bringing screening to the station, across every shift, is the most reliable way to make sure the whole crew actually gets checked, not just the members who happen to have time.

How NDS Wellness Screens Firefighters for Cancer

NDS Wellness was built to close exactly this gap. Our firefighter cancer screening program brings physician-led screening directly to your station, on every shift. Each firefighter gets a real appointment, not a finger-prick at a folding table, including comprehensive blood work and cancer screening tuned to the risks the research above identifies.

Results are explained by a physician, and follow-up care is coordinated, so a concerning finding becomes a clear next step rather than a dead end. Because we arrive in a mobile wellness clinic, your department can screen the whole crew without pulling anyone off shift. It is one part of our broader firefighter health and wellness program, which also aligns station exams with NFPA standards.

 

Sources

Frequently asked questions

What are the symptoms of angina?

Angina usually feels like pressure, squeezing, heaviness, or fullness in the chest, and may spread to the arms, shoulders, neck, jaw, back, or stomach. Some people experience only shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, or lightheadedness. Symptoms often appear with exertion or stress and, for stable angina, ease with rest.

Is angina the same as a heart attack?

No, but they are closely related and share symptoms. Angina signals reduced blood flow to the heart and is a warning of coronary artery disease. A heart attack involves actual damage to heart muscle. Angina, especially unstable angina, can precede a heart attack, which is why new or worsening symptoms are an emergency.

What is the difference between stable and unstable angina?

Stable angina follows a predictable pattern, usually appears with exertion, lasts about five minutes or less, and eases with rest. Unstable angina is unpredictable, often occurs at rest, may last longer, and may not ease with rest or medication. Unstable angina is a medical emergency and requires calling 911.

When should I call 911 for chest pain?

Call 911 if chest pain is new and never evaluated, if your usual angina pattern worsens, if pain lasts more than a few minutes without easing, or if it comes with shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, lightheadedness, or pain spreading to the arm, jaw, or back. Do not drive yourself.

Can angina symptoms be mild or easy to miss?

Yes, and that is part of the danger. Angina does not always cause obvious chest pain. It can appear as shortness of breath, unusual fatigue, an upset stomach, or discomfort in the jaw or back with no chest pressure. These subtle symptoms are easy to dismiss, which is why awareness matters.

Why does angina often happen during exertion?

At rest, a narrowed artery may supply enough blood to the heart. During exertion, the heart’s demand for oxygen rises sharply, and a narrowed artery cannot keep up. That shortfall causes angina. For officers, this means the physical surges the job demands are exactly when angina is most likely to appear.

Should police officers ignore chest pain during physical exertion?

No. Chest pain during exertion is a classic angina warning and should never be dismissed as simply being out of shape or overexerted. The instinct to push through, valuable elsewhere in police work, is dangerous with cardiac symptoms. Any chest discomfort deserves prompt medical evaluation, and emergency symptoms require calling 911.

Can heart disease be detected before angina appears?

Yes. The coronary artery disease that causes angina develops silently for years before producing symptoms. Cardiac screening, including an EKG, stress testing, and imaging, can detect that disease while it is still silent, which is why proactive screening is valuable rather than waiting for a warning sign like angina to appear

What tests detect the disease behind angina?

Common tests include a 12-lead EKG, a stress test that evaluates the heart under exertion, and an echocardiogram that images the heart’s structure and function, along with blood work assessing cholesterol and other risk markers. Together these build a picture of cardiovascular health and can reveal disease before symptoms appear.

Does NDS Wellness treat angina or cardiac emergencies?

No. Angina and cardiac emergencies require immediate medical care through 911 or an emergency department. NDS Wellness provides proactive cardiac screening to detect coronary artery disease before it causes symptoms, delivered on site by a physician. It is prevention-focused screening, not emergency or acute care.

Know Where Your Officers' Hearts Stand

Angina is a warning that often comes late. Proactive screening finds the disease behind it while there is still time to act, and it does so before an officer ever feels that chest pressure on a call. Book a Consultation and we will build a cardiac screening program around your department, your watches, and your budget. Call 888-267-4786 to get started.

Heidi Enders

Director of Corporate Services @ NDS Wellness 

Heidi Enders is passionate about making preventative care easy to reach. As Director of Corporate Services at NDS Wellness, she helps design and deliver on-site health screening programs for employers and first responders, removing the barriers of participation so teams get real, physician-led care where they already are.

heidi-enders

Heidi Enders

Director of Corporate Services @ NDS Wellness 

Heidi Enders is passionate about making preventative care easy to reach. As Director of Corporate Services at NDS Wellness, she helps design and deliver on-site health screening programs for employers and first responders, removing the barriers of participation so teams get real, physician-led care where they already are.

heidi-enders

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