Relation of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma to tobacco.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether bronchioalveolar carcinoma is related to tobacco use.


METHODS
Case-control study.


METHODS
11 teaching hospitals of Chicago, Long Island, New York, and Philadelphia, 1977-89.


METHODS
87 patients with histologically diagnosed bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (cases) and 286 non-cancer and 297 cancer patients matched to cases on age, sex, race, hospital, and date of admission.


RESULTS
10% of male cases and 25% of female cases had never smoked. Relative risks of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (as estimated by the relative odds) were greater for subjects who started smoking at a younger age, smoked for a longer time, or smoked more cigarettes per day. Relative risks decreased proportionally to the duration of smoking cessation.


CONCLUSIONS
Smoking plays an important part in the aetiology of bronchioloalveolar carcinoma but is not the only potential cause because of the large proportion of never smokers among patients with this disease.
Morabia
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American Health Foundation, New York, NY 10017.
Wynder
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D002282:Adenocarcinoma, Bronchiolo-Alveolar / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013997:Time Factors