Community Health Screening For Cancer in Firefighters

Source: Md Saiful Islam Khan / Getty

INDIANAPOLIS — On Tuesday, Community Health will be teaming up with GRAIL and the Lawrence Township Fire Department to proactively screen for cancer in firefighters.

Community Health will be using the Galleri Test to screen for over 50 types of cancer and potentially detect them before symptoms develop.

The Galleri Test, launched in June of 2021, is a liquid biopsy that scans the individual’s cell-free DNA and identifies if that DNA came from a healthy cell or a cancer cell. Looking at specific patterns of the cancer cells the Galleri Test may also be able to tell what organ the cell came from.

83 of the 100 members of the LTFD will participate in the screening. Firefighters are at a higher risk of developing cancer due to their increased exposure to carcinogens in smoke, soot, and other chemicals. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health they are twice as likely to develop certain types of cancers compared to the general population.

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