The greatest risk to firefighters is running into burning buildings to save someone’s life. The second biggest risk? Developing cancer from the exposure they face as part of the requirements of their job.

While it is impossible to determine when, or whether, someone will develop cancer, understanding a person’s family history can play an important role in finding it sooner. 

“A family history of colorectal cancer is a major risk factor for developing the cancer yourself,” says surgical oncologist Steven Nurkin, MD, FACS, Chief of Colorectal Surgery at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.