Bomb Disposal Research Takes on National Significance as MOD Launches Major Cancer Study

Research that began at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) into the health of former bomb disposal specialists is taking on wider national significance following the Ministry of Defence’s announcement of the Epidemiology of Cancer in the UK Armed Forces Study.

The research programme will examine cancer incidence and mortality among approximately 1.4 million serving personnel and veterans who have served in the UK Armed Forces since 1990, comparing outcomes with those of the wider UK population. The study will also investigate whether there is evidence of increased cancer risk among specific groups within the Armed Forces. 

The announcement comes amid growing scientific interest in the long-term health impacts of military service, including recent peer-reviewed studies led by Dr Gareth Collett CBE examining cancer risk among British Army ammunition technicians and bomb disposal personnel.

UWTSD’s Dr Collett, a retired British Army Brigadier and former Head of UK Bomb Disposal, recently presented the University’s explosive ordnance health research programme at the International Association of Bomb Technicians and Investigators conference in Portugal.

“What started as an attempt to understand a potential health issue affecting a relatively small professional community has developed into a much wider question,” said Dr Collett. “The MOD’s decision to undertake a large-scale epidemiological cancer study provides an extraordinary opportunity to answer some of those questions properly. However, it is important that the Armed Forces are not viewed as a single population. Different trades and professions experience very different occupational environments, and meaningful conclusions will depend on examining those groups in sufficient detail.”

An unexpected occupational health signal

The research began following Dr Collett’s diagnosis with bladder cancer in November 2023. After sharing his diagnosis with serving and former ammunition technicians, he became aware of a number of similar cases, prompting the formation of a multidisciplinary collaboration involving UWTSD, the University of Birmingham, King’s College London, the University of Glasgow and Swansea Bay University Health Board.

The resulting research explored whether a previously unidentified occupational risk might exist within the bomb disposal profession.

The first peer-reviewed study, published in BJU International, identified an unexpectedly high occurrence of bladder cancer among veteran ammunition technicians, particularly those aged between 50 and 69. For those under 70, researchers calculated a standardised incidence ratio of 5.03 compared with the UK general population.

Researchers also identified a statistical association between bladder cancer and reported exposure to nitro explosives during disposal activities. The study was not designed to determine whether exposure caused the disease, but the findings highlighted the need for further investigation.

Particular interest has focused on energetic materials such as TNT and related nitro-aromatic compounds, together with manufacturing impurities, degradation products and residues generated during the storage, handling, burning and disposal of munitions.

Bomb disposal and ammunition technical personnel may encounter these substances repeatedly throughout their careers, including through inhalation, ingestion and dermal contact.

“This research isn’t about blame. It is about awareness, prevention and protecting people,” said Dr Collett. “Our findings identify a signal, not definitive answers. What they demonstrate is that there is sufficient evidence to justify closer examination of occupational exposure within military communities.”

An unprecedented opportunity

The MOD’s Epidemiology of Cancer in the UK Armed Forces Study will examine cancer diagnoses and deaths among approximately 1.4 million serving personnel and veterans.

From 2027, the MOD intends to publish annual cancer incidence and mortality data for the Armed Forces population. Subsequent phases will examine demographic and military characteristics before investigating specific occupational groups and potential service-related exposures.

Dr Collett has also been appointed Independent Advocate for the MOD cancer study, providing an independent point of contact for serving personnel and veterans and helping to ensure their concerns are represented as the research develops.

“The fact that our initial investigation started with a conversation in a room at the University’s Swansea Waterfront campus and we are now looking at a national study involving around 1.4 million members of the Armed Forces community is quite remarkable,” he said.

“But behind every statistic is somebody who served, and a family who deserves to know whether that service may have affected their long-term health. If the evidence shows that particular occupational groups face an increased risk, we can improve prevention, surveillance and potentially screening. If it shows they do not, that is equally valuable. What matters is that we obtain robust evidence.”

The UWTSD-led research programme continues to investigate potential occupational exposures associated with energetic materials and to promote greater awareness among healthcare professionals of the occupational histories of serving personnel and veterans.

Further Information

Rebecca Davies

Executive Press and Media Relations Officer    
Corporate Communications and PR    
Email: rebecca.davies@uwtsd.ac.uk    
Phone: 07384 467071