Health Effects of PFAS Exposure

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been linked to kidney and testicular cancer.

Two of the most commonly used PFAS are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies PFOA as carcinogenic to humans and PFOS as potentially carcinogenic to humans.

Kidney Cancer

Kidney cancer is often associated with PFOA. While PFOA is no longer manufactured in the United States, it was used for years in various consumer products, including non-stick cookware and carpeting.

“There’s a pretty good consensus that’s developed that there are several health conditions that over and over again have been associated with higher levels of PFAS exposure,” Scott Bartell, a health researcher at UC Irvine who has studied PFAS for nearly 20 years, told Drugwatch. “Those conditions include kidney cancer.”

According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer, more kidney cancer diagnoses and deaths have been seen among people who were exposed to PFOA.

Higher rates of kidney cancer have been seen in people who worked in chemical plants that produced PFOA or who lived in a nearby community with contaminated drinking water.

Your risk of kidney cancer might also increase if you were exposed to higher levels of PFAS.

Testicular Cancer

PFAS exposure has also been linked to a heightened risk of testicular cancer.

One common source of PFAS pollution is aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF). This is a firefighting foam that has been used to extinguish fires involving flammable liquids, such as gasoline.

“It is very common to find PFAS water contamination around military bases, airports, places they practice with AFFF,” Bartell said.

One study found that people who served as firefighters or on military bases with PFAS-polluted water had higher levels of these chemicals in their blood. Researchers determined that increased levels of PFOS in the blood were associated with a greater risk of testicular cancer.

Another study found that testicular cancer rates for firefighters are 100% higher than they are for the average person.

Research published in Springer Nature suggests that PFAS can affect your body’s ability to develop antibodies. Antibodies are components of your immune system that neutralize threats to your body, like bacteria or viruses.

Even more troubling, PFAS exposure may lower the effectiveness of vaccines.

“What we found is that exposure to some PFAS reduces the ability of the immune system to make a control level of antibodies after vaccination,” Jamie DeWitt, a professor at Oregon State University who has studied PFAS since 2005, told Drugwatch. “This has been observed in epidemiological studies, that people have reduced responses to vaccines.”

According to DeWitt, a compromised immune system can lead to a greater threat of viruses and an increased risk of cancer.

Exposure to PFAS is also tied to increased cholesterol. A 2023 study conducted by Harvard researchers found that exposure to PFAS is associated with higher levels of certain lipids, including:

When you have high cholesterol, plaque can build up in your arteries. Over time, this can worsen your blood flow, making it more difficult for blood to get to and from your heart. This can lead to an increased risk of heart attack, stroke and heart disease.

As researchers learn more about PFAS contamination, other potential conditions remain under study. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, PFAS exposure is likely connected to:

Kidney cancer and testicular cancer may have strong ties to PFAS, but they are not the only types of cancer that have some connection to these chemicals. The American Cancer Society says that studies have shown links to other cancers, including:

While PFAS has been used in consumer products for decades, research into health effects is newer. More information about the health consequences of these chemicals may emerge as research continues.

You may be at the greatest risk if you were exposed to a significant amount of PFAS or if your exposure was ongoing. This could include:

PFAS levels can be higher on or around airports, military bases or fire training sites. Testing of groundwater at Dover Air Force Base in 2017 found PFOS and PFOA at 290,000 parts per trillion, which is well above the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) new mandates.

The EPA is phasing in mandates that drinking water should not contain PFAS exceeding four parts per trillion. While many areas in the U.S. have levels below this proposed limit, PFAS levels in water exceed the limit in many places.

You can learn more about PFAS contamination in your area by using a nationwide map created by the Environmental Working Group. It shows PFAS levels in the water where you live and if there is a military base or contamination site nearby.

Medical testing may also reveal more about your exposure risk.

“You can see at least what’s in the body now if you get a blood test,” Bartell said. “That will give you a sense of at least whether your current exposure is higher relative to other people.”

How to Avoid PFAS Exposure

It’s almost impossible to avoid PFAS exposure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined that almost every American has forever chemicals in their blood.

In 2023, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated that forever chemicals have contaminated at least 45% of the nation’s drinking water. PFAS has also been detected in surface and groundwater worldwide.

According to Bartell, individuals exposed to water at 20 parts per trillion or more should consider making an effort to limit their exposure. This can include switching to bottled water.

“It’s not unique to the U.S. We see this around the world that everybody pretty much has PFAS chemicals in their body now,” Bartell said.

If you were diagnosed with an illness linked to forever chemicals, you might be eligible to file a PFAS lawsuit. Thousands of cases have been filed by people who claim they developed cancer and other serious issues after being exposed to PFAS.

You may have been exposed to these chemicals due to water contamination. If you developed any of the following conditions after drinking contaminated water, you could have a case:

Depending on your job, you may have been exposed to PFAS via firefighting foam or firefighter gear.

Thousands of AFFF lawsuits are currently grouped together in federal court. Some impacted firefighters are also filing turnout gear lawsuits.

If you think you may qualify for a PFAS lawsuit, we can help. You can find out for free if filing a case makes sense. We’ve vetted trusted legal partners to help you through the process.