Study Finds Strong Link Between Testicular Cancer and PFAS/PFOS
For the first time, a federal study conclusively shows a strong association between PFOS and testicular cancer. For decades, thousands of military personnel, particularly Air Force servicemen, have shown an elevated risk of testicular cancer. The confirmation strengthens the already vocal argument for increased regulation and enforced clean-up of PFOS and PFAS-contaminated sites across the country.
Firefighters in Air Force Faced Increased Exposure
The study utilized blood drawn from airmen and was conducted by the National Cancer Institute and Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. Researchers were able to link airmen serving as firefighters with elevated levels of PFAS in their bloodstream and increased rates of testicular cancer.
The findings confirm what has been a long-suspected correlation between the firefighting foam used on-based by the Air Force and PFAS exposure. The early stocks of PFOS foam were replaced due to toxicity risks, but their replacements utilized PFAS, which carries its own health hazards. The Department of Defense has known since at least 1974 that PFAS were fatal to fish and later confirmed similar effects on mice.
Why This Study Matters
The study is the first to demonstrate the link between PFAS exposure and testicular cancer. It was not a small sample, either. The study was drawn from a military biobank of over 62 million specimens. Researchers tested and compared results from 530 troops with testicular cancer diagnoses with a control group of the same size.
Protection and Legislation
Nearly all Americans have PFAS in their bloodstream. Exposure from city and groundwater, food, clothing, cooking utensils, and other sources has made it nearly impossible to protect the average consumer. There are thousands of lawsuits in the courts, most of them focused on 3M, DuPont and Kidde-Fenwal.
Legislators are also pushing for mandatory protections for at-risk military personnel, including pushing the DoD to clean up contaminated sites and provide blood testing and cancer screening for veterans. Tragically, the DoD has made little progress toward any of these initiatives.
Inaction leaves tens of thousands of veterans facing inadequate care.
PFAS has been linked to several immediate and long-term health issues, including:
- Lower responsiveness to vaccines
- Kidney cancer
- Low birth rate
- Thyroid dysfunction
- Breast cancer
- Testicular cancer
To date, the DoD has confirmed more than 700 contaminated sites in the US, with thousands of current and retired servicemen and women at risk. In 2021, 9,000 firefighters requested blood testing for PFAS, with 96% confirmed to have at least 1 kind of PFAS in their blood.
Support PFAS clean-up legislation and advocated for cancer prevention with Less Cancer.
