Higher cancer rates found in military pilots, ground crews

A Pentagon study has revealed that military pilots and ground crews are experiencing high rates of cancer. The data has been sought by retired military aviators who have raised concerns for years and were earlier told that the military studies found they were not at greater risk of cancer than the general U.S. population. This yearlong study of almost 900,000 service members who flew on or worked on military aircraft between 1992 and 2017 found some startling results. The study found that air crew members had an 87% higher rate of melanoma and a 39% higher rate of thyroid cancer, while men had a 16% higher rate of prostate cancer and women had a 16% higher rate of breast cancer. The overall rate for cancers of all types was 24% higher in the air crews.

Ground crews, who fuel, maintain, and launch military aircraft, were also found to be getting sick. The study showed ground crews had a 19% higher rate of brain and nervous system cancers, a 15% higher rate of thyroid cancer, and a 9% higher rate of kidney or renal cancers. Women had a 7% higher rate of breast cancer, and the overall rate for cancers was 3% higher.

The study found that ground and air crews had far lower rates of lung cancer, and air crews also had lower rates of bladder and colon cancers. However, the actual number of cancer cases was likely to be even higher due to gaps in the data.

The study proved that it’s time for leaders and policy makers to move from skepticism to belief and active assistance, said retired Air Force Col. Vince Alcazar, a member of the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association, which had lobbied the Pentagon and Congress for help.

The Pentagon must conduct an even bigger review to try to understand why the crews are getting sick, as higher rates were found. However, isolating potential causes is difficult, and the Pentagon was careful to note that this study “does not imply that military service in air crew or ground crew occupations causes cancer.” Aviation crews have long asked for the Pentagon to look closely at the environmental factors they are exposed to, such as jet fuels and solvents used to clean and maintain jet parts, sensors, and their power sources in aircraft nose cones, and the massive radar systems on the decks of the ships they land on.

The study acknowledged that it had gaps that likely led to an undercount of cancer cases, as the military health system database used in the study did not have reliable cancer data until 1990. Additionally, the study did not include cancer data from the Department of Veterans Affairs or state cancer registries, which means it did not capture cases from former crew members who got sick after leaving the military medical system.

The second phase of the study will try to isolate the causes, such as “carcinogenic toxicants or hazardous materials associated with military flight operations.”