Title: Expansion Study (2018-2022)
Funding: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) EMW-2017-FP-00860
Principal Investigator: Alberto Caban-Martinez, PhD, DO, MPH
Goal:
The purpose of this research proposal was to leverage the national Fire Fighter Cancer Cohort Study (FFCCS) infrastructure for expansion of research protocols in biomarker, carcinogenic exposure, and survey data collection to four firefighter subgroups: arson investigators, instructors, volunteers, and wildland-urban interface firefighters.
Specific Aims
1. Expansion of existing FFCCS advisory board membership to national leadership from each subgroup.
2. Adapt existing survey data collection instruments for priority cancer prevention and exposure control interventions identified by subgroup leadership.
3. Conduct biological exposure monitoring to identify determinants of exposure and expand the job-exposure matrix for each subgroup.
4. Collect and analyze biological samples for analysis of epigenetic markers of cancer pathway activation.
Impact
Firefighters from the four firefighter subgroups (arson investigators, instructors, volunteers, and wildland-urban interface firefighters) were enrolled into the FFCCS. Biological samples were collected for comparison of exposures and epigenetic biomarkers of effect.