Supporting People with Bladder Cancer, Including Firefighters Who Face Higher Risk
(BPT) - Firefighters put themselves in harm's way every day, battling both structural blazes and forest fires to protect lives, natural resources, and communities. But beyond the visible dangers of fire and smoke, many firefighters face a serious and often overlooked health risk: bladder cancer.
"Firefighters aren't just exposed to flames and falling debris," said urologic oncologist Dr. Sima Porten, Associate Professor in Residence at University of California San Francisco. "Their jobs expose them to harmful substances that can increase their risk of bladder cancer over time."
Why are firefighters at higher risk?
When firefighters battle fires, they're exposed to smoke, soot, and chemicals released from burning materials. These substances contain carcinogens, which are chemicals known to cause cancer.
Once inhaled or absorbed through the skin, these carcinogens travel through the bloodstream, are filtered by the kidneys, and pass through the bladder in urine. Over years of exposure, this can damage the bladder lining and increase cancer risk.
Research shows that firefighters have about a 9% higher risk of developing cancer and a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer compared to the general population.1
New financial support for firefighters and their families
Recognizing the long-term health risks firefighters face, new federal legislation was recently passed to provide critical financial support for wildland firefighters diagnosed with cancer. The law helps cover cancer treatment costs and provides assistance for their children's college tuition, easing the financial burden on families already navigating a life-changing diagnosis.2
This legislation represents a meaningful step forward in acknowledging occupational cancer risks and supporting firefighters not only during treatment, but in protecting their families' futures as well.
Warning signs to watch for
Early detection is critical. Firefighters and former firefighters should talk to their health care provider about their work history and be alert to symptoms such as:
- Blood in the urine
- Needing to urinate more often
- Pain or burning during urination
Healthy lifestyle choices, such as not smoking, eating well, staying active, limiting alcohol, managing stress, and getting enough sleep, can also help lower cancer risk.
Understanding bladder cancer and treatment options
The most common type of bladder cancer is called non-muscle invasive bladder cancer, or NMIBC. This type of cancer is limited to the bladder lining and hasn't spread into the muscle. When caught early, it's often treatable without removing the bladder.
A common first treatment for NMIBC is a medicine called Bacillus Calmette-Guérin, or BCG. This therapy is delivered directly into the bladder and activates the immune system to fight cancer. While effective for many, 30% to 40% of patients don't respond to treatment, and about half of those who initially respond see their cancer return. These patients are considered to have BCG-unresponsive NMIBC.3
Hope for patients who don't respond to BCG
Recent advances are offering hope. In 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved ANKTIVA® (nogapendekin alfa inbakicept-pmln), an immunotherapy used in combination with BCG for certain patients with BCG-unresponsive NMIBC.
A clinical study of 77 patients found:4
- Within 3-6 months, 48 (62%) patients saw all signs of cancer disappear
- Of these 48 patients, 58% remained cancer-free for at least one year, while 40% remained free of cancer for two years
The most common side effects included pain or discomfort during urination, blood in the urine, and needing to urinate more often.
"Firefighters already give so much to protect others," Dr. Porten added. "It's encouraging to have a treatment that can help many patients live cancer-free for years."
Commitment to firefighter health
ANKTIVA was developed by ImmunityBio, a company dedicated to advancing research, education, and advocacy to support the health and safety of those living with bladder cancer, including firefighters. To learn more about ANKTIVA, visit https://anktiva.com.
INDICATION AND IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
INDICATION AND USAGE: ANKTIVA is an interleukin-15 (IL-15) receptor agonist indicated with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) for the treatment of adult patients with BCG-unresponsive non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) with carcinoma in situ (CIS) with or without papillary tumors.
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS: Risk of Metastatic Bladder Cancer with Delayed Cystectomy. Delaying cystectomy can lead to the development of muscle invasive or metastatic bladder cancer, which can be lethal. If patients with CIS do not have a complete response to treatment after a second induction course of ANKTIVA with BCG, reconsider cystectomy.
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION: For Intravesical Use Only. Do not administer by subcutaneous or intravenous routes. Instill intravesically only after dilution. Total time from vial puncture to the completion of the intravesical instillation should not exceed 2 hours.
USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS: Pregnancy: May cause fetal harm. Advise females of reproductive potential of the potential risk to a fetus and to use effective contraception.
ADVERSE REACTIONS: The most common (≥15%) adverse reactions, including laboratory test abnormalities, are increased creatinine, dysuria, hematuria, urinary frequency, micturition urgency, urinary tract infection, increased potassium, musculoskeletal pain, chills and pyrexia.
For more information, visit Anktiva.com or call 1-877-ANKTIVA (1-877-265-8482).
1. National Fire Protection Association. Cancer Risk in Firefighting Fact Sheet. February 2017. Available at https://www.nfpa.org/education-and-research/emergency-response/firefighters-and-cancer?
2. Dreier H. U.S. Will Pay $450,000 to Wildfire Fighters With Cancer. The New York Times, December 19, 2025. Last accessed on January 2026.
3. Kodera A, et al. The Management of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) Failure in High-Risk Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer: A Review Article. Cureus. 2023 Jun 26;15(6):e40962. doi: 10.7759/cureus.40962. PMID: 37503461; PMCID: PMC10369196. Available at https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10369196/
4. ANKTIVA package insert. ImmunityBio. Inc. 2024
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Source: BrandPoint
