Among patients with gliomas, gene mutations related to exposure to certain chemical compounds may be more common in firefighters than in those with other occupations, according to a recent study published by Cannataro et al in Cancer.
Background
Certain chemical compounds have been known to cause gene mutations linked to the development of gliomas—the most prevalent type of malignant brain tumor. The gene mutations included in the study make up a mutational signature that prior research has associated with exposure to haloalkanes, which are used in flame retardants, fire extinguishants, refrigerants, and other products.
“As firefighters have exposure to such chemical agents, we examined mutational signatures in glioma brain tumors diagnosed in [individuals] who worked as firefighters vs those who did not,” explained senior study author Elizabeth B. Claus, MD, PhD, Professor at the Yale University School of Public Health and an attending neurosurgeon at Mass General Brigham.
Study Methods
In the study, investigators examined the mutational signatures of 35 individuals who participated in the University of California Adult Glioma Study.
Among the participants, 17 had an occupational history of firefighting. Compared with the other 18 participants, firefighters were more likely to have the haloalkane-associated mutational signature, particularly those who had been firefighters for many years. Among those who were not firefighters, individuals whose occupations potentially exposed them to haloalkanes—such as during car painting and machine maintenance—were more likely to present with the mutational signature.
Conclusions
“Our study provides preliminary data but will need confirmation in a larger data set and across a wider range of occupations,” suggested Dr. Claus. “Identifying exposure to such mutational agents is important to inform public health intervention strategies and pinpoint occupational hazards that may be avoidable,” she concluded.
Disclosure: For full disclosures of the study authors, visit acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com.
