Scientists worldwide are actively exploring the potential health risks associated with PFAS. While researchers have traditionally focused on the health impacts of PFAS through public drinking water exposure, recent scientific investigations are expanding their scope to consider other potential sources. Mark Purdue of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute led this investigation of testicular cancer among U.S. Air Force servicemen.
The Purdue Study Objectives
Firefighting foams used at military installations contain PFAS chemicals. While civilian populations with high PFAS exposures have shown links to cancer risks, the impact on military personnel has been less clear. The Purdue investigators aimed to explore the connections between serum PFAS concentrations and testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) among U.S. Air Force servicemen.
Methods of the Air Force Study
In this study, the investigators examined active-duty Air Force servicemen using blood serum samples from the Department of Defense Serum Repository. Specifically, the investigators:
- chose 530 cases and 530 controls, each matched based on birth date, race, ethnicity, year entered the service, and year of sample collection.
- used serum samples collected between 1988 and 2017.
- collected a second sample with a median of 4 years later for 187 case–control pairs.
Additionally, they quantified seven PFAS, and designed the study to have the commonly used 95% confidence interval.
Military Personnel More at Risk for Testicular Cancer
The scientific investigators observed elevated concentrations of certain PFAS in military firefighters. Additionally, they observed similar elevations for military service at a base with high PFAS concentrations in drinking water. The investigators found elevated PFOS concentrations in the bodies of Air Force servicemen were positively associated with testicular cancer. They concluded these findings warrant further investigation into other populations and military service branches.
PFAS Exposure and Other Military Branches
This study builds on other investigations into PFAS exposures sustained by military personnel. Military investigations in the early 1980s delved into the environmental and health impacts of AFFF. The Secretary of the Navy ordered a comprehensive strategy related to PFAS. The Air Force recognized AFFF’s harmful effects and implemented measures to sequester AFFF. The Army ordered AFFF must be treated as hazardous waste. Moreover, these military actions started the widespread scientific study of the potential adverse health effects of exposure to PFAS, leading in part to the Purdue study.
