Firefighter Cancer Screening Program

Pilot program launches October 2025 with Union and Ft. Mitchell, KY, fire departments.

Firefighters face unique cancer risks. Take the first step to early detection today.

What is the Firefighter Cancer Screening Program?

The St. Elizabeth Healthcare Firefighter Cancer Screening Program aims to raise awareness of firefighters’ increased cancer risk and offer screenings for early detection. This program is the first of its kind in the region.

The program includes three foundational components and services: an NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 1582 physical exam, a comprehensive skin exam and a biennial lung cancer screening with a low-dose CT exam of the chest. (Optional, to take place of an every 5-year CXR).

To participate, you must be a current patient with St. Elizabeth Physicians.

NFPA 1582 Physical Exam

A National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1582 physical exam is the national standard for firefighter health and cancer prevention. Each exam includes:

  • A review of relevant health maintenance and age-appropriate cancer screenings.
  • A complete physical exam.
  • Lab testing through bloodwork and urinalysis.

Comprehensive Skin Exam

Skin cancer is one of the most common cancers among firefighters. Through the Melanoma Know More program, we provide comprehensive skin exams that are:

  • Performed by a dermatologist or an advanced practice provider trained in dermatology.
  • Offered four times a year at the Center for Integrative Oncology. (The summer event is for first responders only.)

Call (859) 301-7276 to schedule an appointment or learn more at Melanoma Know More.

Firefighter Cancer Screening Program

Available Locations

LDCT lung screening is available at any of our seven American College of Radiology (ACR) and GO2 Center of Excellence (GO2 COE) accredited convenient locations:

  • Covington
  • Dearborn County
  • Edgewood
  • Florence
  • Ft. Thomas
  • Grant County
  • Hebron

Contact Us

Business Health: (859) 301-2999
Call this number to schedule your NFPA 1582.

Pulmonology: (812) 496-8779
Call this number if you meet criteria and have had your NFPA 1582 physical within the last year and wish to have a lung cancer screen.

Central Scheduling: (877) 424-5750
Only call this number if you have an order for a firefighter LDCT lung cancer screen in place.

Lung Cancer Screening

 

A low-dose CT scan (LDCT) of the chest can detect lung cancer and other conditions early, when they are most treatable. Firefighters are eligible for a screening if they are:

  • Age 45 or older.

OR

  • Have more than 10 years of active service.

This screening exam is provided every two years and may also reveal other health concerns, including:

  • Aneurysm.
  • Coronary artery disease.
  • Emphysema.
  • Other cancers or suspicious nodules.
  • Other incidental findings.
An Imaging Professional aids a patient undergoing a CT Scan

Firefighter Cancer Screening Program FAQs

All firefighters are eligible for the Firefighter Cancer Screening Program. But only firefighters who are age 45 or older or have more than 10 years of active service are eligible for the lung cancer screening.

Screenings are available only to current patients of St. Elizabeth Physicians.

Firefighters face higher risks for bladder, colon, kidney, lung, melanoma (skin), non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, prostate and testicular cancer, and others.

The increased risk comes from the repeated exposure to carcinogens and noxious chemicals in the smoke and on the ground during a fire. Firefighters can inhale, ingest, or absorb these carcinogens and chemicals through the skin.

St. Elizabeth recommends an NFPA 1582 exam every year, and an annual skin exam, and a low-dose CT scan every two years for eligible firefighters.

An NFPA 1582 physical exam is the annual firefighter health assessment. It includes a medical history review, complete physical and age-appropriate cancer screening tests.

The goal of the exam is to detect medical conditions that could affect a firefighter’s ability to perform essential job duties safely or place them at an increased health risk.

Yes. In addition to screenings, the Firefighter Cancer Screening Program offers community outreach, education and prevention, follow-up adherence monitoring and navigation support.

We can also help you establish care with a primary care provider (PCP) near you. Call (859) 301-DOCS (3627) or find a doctor online.

A firefighter lung cancer screening uses a low-dose CT (LDCT) scan to look for early signs of lung cancer, emphysema, aneurysm or coronary disease.

The test is quick, less than three minutes, and painless, requiring no dye, needles, IV, or preparation.

Once we complete an LDCT lung cancer screen and interpret the findings, we add the results electronically to MyChart. You will also receive a letter or phone call, depending on the result.

The Critical Need for Enhanced Cancer Screening in Firefighters

  • Firefighters have a 9% higher risk of cancer diagnosis. *
  • Firefighters have a 14% higher risk of dying from cancer than the general population. *
  • In 2024, 69% of line-of-duty deaths among firefighters in the United States were due to cancer. **

Early detection through routine screenings can save lives and protect the firefighters who protect us.

*National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
**International Association of Fire Fighters

The Importance of Lung Cancer Screening for Firefighters

Schedule Today

Protect your health. Schedule your Firefighter Cancer Screening by calling (859) 301-2999 or find a screening location near you.

Please note: You must be a patient with St. Elizabeth Physicians to schedule.

“Firefighters face cancer rates greater than the rest of the population. That’s why there’s a critical need to help protect these first responders who spend their lives protecting us.”

Michael Gieske, MDMichael Gieske, MD, Director of Lung Cancer Screening, St. Elizabeth Healthcare