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Exposure to particulate air matter pollution associated with lung cancer
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Exposure to particulate matter air pollution was associated with lung cancer incidence, according to a prospective analysis of data from 17 European cohort studies.
Researchers set out to assess the association between long-term exposure to ambient air pollution and lung cancer incidence across nine European countries.
Air pollution was assessed by land-use regression models for particulate matter of less than 10 microns, less than 2.5 microns, and between 2.5 microns and 10 microns, as well as nitrogen oxides, soot and two traffic indicators.
The 312,944 people included in the analysis equated to 4,013,131 person-years at risk.
Within the 12.8-years follow-up, there were 2,095 cases of incident lung cancer. A significant association was found between lung cancer risk and exposure to particulate matter of less than 10 microns (HR=1.22; 95% CI, 1.03–1.45); the HR for particulate matter of less than 2.5 microns was 1.18 (95% CI, 0.96-1.46). The HR for the association between adenocarcinomas and exposure to particulate matter of less than 10 microns was 1.51 (95% CI, 1.10-2.08), and the HR for association between adenocarcinomas and exposure to particulate matter of less than 2.5 microns was 1.55 (95% CI, 1.05-2.29).
Researchers reported no association between lung cancer and nitrogen oxide concentration (HR=1.01; 95% CI, 0.95–1.07) or traffic intensity on the nearest street (HR= 1.00; 95% CI, 0.97–1.04).
Researchers noted the study may have been limited because data for previous lung disease were not obtained.
“Previous lung disease might be associated with both air pollution concentrations and the risk for lung cancer,” they wrote.
In an accompanying editorial, Takashi Yorifuji, MD, of the department of human ecology at Okayama University Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science in Japan, and Saori Kashima, PhD, of the department of public health and health policy at the Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences at Hiroshima University in Japan, wrote: “At this stage, we might have to add air pollution, even at current concentrations, to the list of causes of lung cancer and recognize that air pollution has large effects on public health ... Fortunately, like tobacco smoking, it is a controllable factor.”
For more information:
- Nielsen OR. Lancet Oncol. 2013;doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(13)70279-1.
- Yorifuji T. Lancet Oncol. 2013;doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(13)70302-4.