Kidney cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the United States. Known as a "silent disease", it can stay undetected until the late stages.
The American Cancer Society estimates that nearly 81,000 cases of kidney cancer will be diagnosed in 2025, and over 14,500 deaths are expected. If you are at high risk of developing kidney cancer, early detection and timely treatment are crucial for recovery.
Common symptoms of kidney cancer are back pain and blood in the urine, and established risk factors include smoking and obesity. Occupational exposure to toxic chemicals is also a risk factor, including perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure. Military and civilian firefighters continuously exposed to these chemicals in aqueous film-forming (AFFF) face significant health risks.
Nearly half a million cases of kidney and renal pelvic cancer were recorded in the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results cancer registry from 2000 to 2020. Generally, the lifetime risk of developing kidney cancer for the general population is as follows:
However, having high levels of a specific PFAS type in blood could double this risk. Studies have shown that people with the highest concentrations of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in their blood were twice as likely to develop kidney cancer as people with the lowest concentrations of PFOA.
Unfortunately, legacy AFFF stocks had high PFOA concentrations and at least 11 other types of PFAS. Military and civilian firefighters were exposed to this foam in training centers, military airports, and firefighting stations. With decades of exposure to the foam, their risk of developing kidney cancer has increased.
Cancer from workplace exposure is the leading cause of death in firefighters in the U.S. In 2024, around 75% of reported line-of-duty deaths among members of the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) were due to occupational cancer. Their members include over 320,000 professional and volunteer personnel, including military and civilian firefighters.
In 2020, a study examined cancer incidence and mortality patterns in firefighters employed from the 1950s through 2016 in Chicago, Philadelphia, and San Francisco. Among nearly 30,000 firefighters in just three cities, at least 3,843 deaths were due to cancer, including over 100 deaths from kidney cancer. They also found that the standard mortality ratio was high in multiple cancers, including kidney cancer, especially in workers who were less than 65 years old.
For most kidney cancer patients, the disease will not lead to death. According to the American Cancer Society, the condition has a high (78%) overall five-year survival rate. If you have worked with AFFF as a military or civilian firefighter, look out for the signs and symptoms for early detection. If you have already been diagnosed, an early start to treatment is the next best step, and having legal representation for filing your claims can let you focus on recovering.
Kidney cancer may require surgery or other alternative treatments like ablation and targeted therapies, which may be costly and exhausting. By filing an AFFF exposure claim, you can recover medical expenses and other damages through compensation.
Our experienced team can help you with the legal process. We only need your employment or military records, if you were in the military, and medical documents showing your diagnosis to evaluate your eligibility. Schedule your free consultation with us to start a claim.