Study Finds Special Operations Troops Have 18% Higher Cancer Rate but Lower Cancer Death Rate Than Other Service Members

A study commissioned by U.S. Special Operations Command found that special operations personnel experienced an overall cancer incidence rate 18% higher than non-special operations service members, Military.com reported. The study compared health records from more than 231,000 special operations personnel with those of more than 5 million other service members.

Melanoma rates were 33% higher among special operators, testicular cancer rates were 21% higher, and thyroid cancer rates were also elevated. Special operations personnel were diagnosed with prostate cancer roughly eight years earlier than conventional force members, and lung cancer diagnoses also occurred earlier. Overall cancer mortality rates were lower among special operations personnel.

Researchers noted that the study cohort remains relatively young, with many operators not yet reaching the age at which environmentally linked cancers typically peak. The Department of Veterans Affairs has screened more than 5 million veterans for toxic exposures under the PACT Act, with approximately 43% reporting at least one potential exposure during military service.

John Doolittle, a retired Navy SEAL captain who previously helped lead USSOCOM's Preservation of the Force and Family program, said the study confirms a measurable increase in cancer risk for those in special operations.

He lost fellow SEAL Tom Walsh to melanoma and has had melanoma detected and removed five separate times. SOCOM launched a dedicated cancer study website to share findings and provide updates. The command is working with Defense Health Agency epidemiologists to review existing cancer screening protocols and has announced plans for follow-on studies to examine potential contributing factors.