CLARENCE CENTER, N.Y. (WKBW) — The Clarence Center Fire Department hosted a specialized screening event for firefighters at risk for esophageal cancer, one of the deadliest forms of cancer and a known occupational hazard for first responders.
The screening event uses the EsoGuard test — a pill-sized collection device that patients swallow and retrieve within minutes. They send the sample for DNA analysis to detect pre-cancerous cells.
Paul Herberger, chief of the Clarence Center Fire Department, said the screenings are a critical part of protecting his members.
"It's very important that we get our membership and all firefighters across the board to get checked, screened for cancer. Given our occupational hazards, carcinogens that we deal with all the time between incidents, hazardous chemicals, the gear that we wear, so we try to give enough opportunity to our members as much as possible to get checked out," Herberger said.
This type of preventive testing is now expanding across New York State as part of a broader effort to catch this aggressive cancer in its earliest, most treatable stages.
WATCH: Clarence Center Fire Department hosts esophageal cancer screening for firefighters
Jordan Kilgore, senior program manager at Lucid Diagnostics, said the risk for firefighters is significant.
"We're screening multiple fire departments in the area. Just by being a firefighter, you're 62% more likely to develop esophageal cancer and 39% more likely to actually pass from it," Kilgore said.
Patrick Quinn, vice president of ESIP, or Emergency Service Insurance Program, said early results from the screening program have already revealed concerning findings.
"We're trying to expand the screening opportunities for firefighters. In the past 18 months, we've screened 150 firefighters, and out of those, we've had 30 positives and the youngest being 47 years old with 3 children," Quinn said.
A similar screening is being held in East Amherst on Tuesday.
