New research reveals that years of firefighting may leave a deadly genetic mark, as toxic chemicals used on the job are now linked to brain cancer-causing mutations.
Study: Glioma mutational signatures associated with haloalkane exposure are enriched in firefighters. Image Credit: Yok_onepiece / Shutterstock.com
A recent study published in the journal Cancer identifies haloalkane exposure, especially among firefighters, as a risk factor for glioma.
What causes glioma?
A glioma is a type of brain tumor that arises from glial cells. Based on their aggressiveness, gliomas can be further classified into four grades, with grades I and II considered to be less invasive than grades III and IV.
It remains unclear what environmental or genetic factors can lead to the development of a glioma. Recently,…