SynthesisJournal of occupational health2026
Firefighter cancer risks: a systematic review and proposal for a volunteer-specific decontamination model.
Synthesis in Journal of occupational health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
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Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesFirefighters face a disproportionately high risk of developing cancer due to occupational exposure to carcinogens, including combustion byproducts, diesel exhaust, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in firefighting foams and protective gear. This study aimed to systematically review existing literature on cancer risks among firefighters, with particular attention to exposures, prevention strategies, and decontamination practices, and to propose a novel model addressing current gaps.
methodsA systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Peer-reviewed articles, international reports, and high-quality training materials were included. A total of 37 records were included in the final review. Data were synthesized across thematic areas relevant to firefighter cancer risk.
resultsFive key themes were identified: (1) cancer incidence and mortality, (2) occupational exposure sources, (3) basic prevention practices, (4) gear hygiene, and (5) station decontamination models. The review also identified a critical gap in current decontamination protocols for volunteer firefighters in rural areas, who often respond to emergencies using personal vehicles. To address this, we proposed a novel, volunteer-specific decontamination framework, the Schutte Model, adapting existing best practices to minimize carcinogen transfer during gear transport.
conclusionsThis study provides both an evidence-based synthesis and a novel intervention model. Findings underscore the urgent need for inclusive, low-cost, and culturally tailored prevention strategies to reduce cancer risks among all firefighters, particularly volunteers operating in under-resourced and decentralized contexts.
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