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A study of fighter pilots and crew members who served on active duty over a span of nearly four decades found they were far more likely to be diagnosed with certain types of cancers.
The Air Force study, released this year, looked at pilots and weapons systems officers who served on active duty between 1970 and 2004 and compared them to their peers who did not fly fighter aircraft.
The study, “Cancer Incidence and Mortality Among Fighter Aviators,” found pilots and crews were 30% more likely to develop testicular cancer and roughly 25% more likely to develop skin and prostate cancer, according to a Defense One report.
The Air Force Research Laboratory performed the study, looking into the cancer rates of 34,679 aviators and comparing them to a larger pool of more than 411,000 officers who served at least one day on active duty between 1970 and 2004.
Overall, fighter pilots were more likely to be diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, melanoma and prostate cancer, while less likely to be diagnosed with renal, thyroid and urinary cancer. Other types of cancer, such a brain cancer, occurred at a similar rate.
The study is the largest of its kind and seemingly confirms long-held suspicions that fighter pilots are more susceptible to certain types of cancers.
Air Force officials have said airmen are encouraged to discuss the report with their flight surgeon or primary care providers, according to Defense One.
The study looked at crews of all fighter jets flying through 2004, including the F-100, F-4, F-105, F-16 and F-15. At least one airframe, the F-100 Super Sabre, was linked to higher rates of almost all types of cancer compared to non-flying airmen and the general U.S. population.
Earlier Air Force reports have linked cancer clusters to the F-15E Strike Eagle and C-130, according to Defense One. The new study did not single out those aircraft.
The Defense Health Agency is currently conducting a larger cancer review, directed by Congress, that is examining rates of cancer among pilots across all military branches. Based on the results of that review, the Pentagon may be required to launch a deeper examination of potential causes, to include cockpit emissions, fuels, radars and other environmental factors.
