San Antonio Firefighters & Cancer Risk: Sharing Insights with Researchers

San Antonio firefighters shared their experiences with cancer and efforts to mitigate occupational risks with an international audience of researchers on Thursday. The presentation took place during UT Health San Antonio’s fifth “Advancing Cancer for Latinos and All Populations” conference.

Rising Cancer Rates Among Firefighters

Firefighters face significantly higher rates of cancer incidence and mortality compared to the general population. According to the International Association of Fire Fighters, occupational cancer is currently the leading cause of line-of-duty deaths in the profession.

Did You Know? The San Antonio Fire Department was one of the first fire departments globally to establish a quartermaster programme to provide clean gear to firefighters.

UT Health San Antonio launched the San Antonio Firefighters Cancer Prevention programme in 2025, in partnership with the San Antonio Fire Department and the University of Miami Sylvester’s Firefighter Cancer Initiative. The programme aims to improve understanding and reduce cancer risk among local first responders.

A Decade of Diagnoses

Over the past decade, more than 70 San Antonio Fire Department (SAFD) firefighters have been diagnosed with cancer, including leukemia, myeloma, and cancers of the brain, thyroid, colon, prostate, and testicles. SAFD has also implemented an occupational cancer committee to address these concerns.

Martin De La Rosa, an SAFD firefighter, EMT, and quartermaster, and Stephen Torres, a captain with SAFD who is a cancer survivor, spoke directly to the researchers about the realities faced by firefighters.

“You think of all the dangers and everything that we’re a part of, … but by far the number one killer is cancer, and that’s why I’m here,” De La Rosa stated.

Exposure to Carcinogens

Career firefighters are exposed to numerous carcinogenic materials, ranging from burning buildings to floodwaters. De La Rosa illustrated this point with a photograph of a firefighter covered in residue from the interior of a burning building.

“He is covered in these elements of combustion,” De La Rosa explained. “It’s going to consist of the ceiling…the insulation…the wiring, the plastics, the metals, all the chemicals that go into that if they had anything stored in those attics, and they have burned all those plastics and all those toxins. It’s all very carcinogenic.”

Expert Insight: The presentation highlights a critical shift in understanding occupational hazards for firefighters. Historically focused on immediate dangers like burns and structural collapse, the profession is now grappling with the long-term, often invisible threat of cancer resulting from exposure to combustion byproducts and other carcinogens.

Efforts to reduce exposure to carcinogens have included phasing out protective gear lined with PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” and implementing quartermaster programs.

From “Ignorance” to Awareness

Captain Torres described a past “ignorance phase” where awareness of occupational cancer risks was limited, even among firefighters themselves. Torres, who also has Lynch Syndrome, was diagnosed with duodenal adenocarcinoma at age 39, and previously had pre-cancerous polyps removed in 2012 and was diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2014.

“There was nothing that made me think that this was going to be occupational,” he said.

De La Rosa recalled past practices, such as cleaning gear with kerosene and polishing it with hydraulic fluid or motor oil, which are no longer standard procedures.

“We’ve come a long way with our treatment and care and protecting younger generations of firefighters,” Torres added. “Now we know what the hazards are. It’s just convincing ourselves that it can happen to us and we need to protect ourselves.”

De La Rosa also pointed out that the demanding 24-hour shifts worked by firefighters can disrupt sleep patterns, which has been associated with increased cancer risk.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the San Antonio Firefighters Cancer Prevention programme?

The San Antonio Firefighters Cancer Prevention programme, launched in 2025 by UT Health San Antonio, aims to better understand and minimize cancer risk among local first responders.

How many SAFD firefighters have been diagnosed with cancer in the last decade?

Over 70 SAFD firefighters have been diagnosed with cancer in the past decade, including leukemia, myeloma, and cancers of the brain, thyroid, colon, prostate, and testicles.

What is a quartermaster programme?

A quartermaster programme provides clean gear to firefighters whose protective gear has been contaminated, limiting exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.

What steps can be taken to further protect firefighters from cancer exposure?