Tucson Standard

The Arizona Board of Regents has awarded a $4 million grant to researchers from the University of Arizona Health Sciences and Arizona State University to explore ways to reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease among firefighters.

According to a news release by UArizona, the grant will allow scientists to examine whether blood or plasma donations can lower levels of "forever chemicals" known as per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are known to cause cancer. Researchers will also explore whether PFAS levels affect the risk of cancer or cardiovascular disease, the release stated.

"These research questions came directly from the fire service, specifically to look at ways of preventing cancer and cardiovascular disease among firefighters," Dr. Jeff Burgess, professor in the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, said in a release by UArizona.

The study builds on Australian research that found PFAS levels in the blood could be reduced if a person donated blood every 12 weeks or plasma every six, according to the release. The Arizona research team plans to perform the same study in the U.S., and then expand the research to see if a reduction in PFAS levels leads to beneficial biological effects, the release added.

Burgess has taken part in similar research in the past, which found changes in the DNA of veteran firefighters compared with new firefighters. Research found that the changes occurred over the first two to three years of a firefighter's career and were "associated with the cumulative time spent at a fire," during that period, the release stated.

"We'll be using epigenetic clocks, which use DNA in blood to measure how biologically old a person's cells are," Burgess said. "If your cells are older than your chronological age, that puts you at risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, mortality from any cause, and a number of other things like neurodegenerative diseases. We want to see if lowering PFAS levels using blood or plasma donation also reduces the biological age of the cells, which would be a reflection of a lower level of risk for these disease outcomes."

Lyndel Manson, chairman of the Arizona Board of Regents, said the study had far-reaching value.

"Firefighters face unimaginable risks to save our loved ones, our homes and our communities and cancer is unfortunately one of those risks," Manson said. "This study will help us figure out if there are ways to reduce that risk. The board is tremendously grateful for the partnership and research between the universities and firefighters to find possible solutions."