Occupational and environmental exposures can put specific groups of people at higher risk of cancer, including firefighters. A new study by investigators at Mass General Brigham examines a cancer rarely studied in firefighters: gliomas-a type of tumor that forms in the brain or spinal cord. Using glioma tumor samples from the University of California, San Francisco Adult Glioma Study, researchers looked for genetic mutational signatures, finding one that has been previously associated with exposure to haloalkene, a substance found in flame retardants, fire extinguishers, and pesticides. Results are published in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society.
“Identifying a mutation signature like this one is important because this can inform public health intervention strategies,” said…