title: Epithelial, possibly precancerous, lesions of the lung in relation to smoking, passive smoking, and socio-demographic variables.
abstract: We have undertaken an autopsy-based study to evaluate the etiologic importance of active and passive smoking, as well as socio-demographic variables, in the development of pathologic precursors of lung cancer. Lung specimens were taken at autopsy from 531 persons who had died within four hours from a cause other than respiratory or cancer in Athens (Greece) or the surrounding area. Specimens were examined blindly for basal cell hyperplasia, squamous cell metaplasia, cell atypia and mucous cell metaplasia, i.e., pathological entities considered as epithelial, possibly precancerous, lesions (EPPL). Interviews were conducted with next of kin of the deceased. Suitable autopsy specimens as well as completed interviews were eventually available for 275 subjects. EPPL score was regressed on the available independent variables. EPPL score was higher among active smokers than among nonsmokers, while ex-smokers occupied an intermediate position. Conditional on smoking habits, EPPL score was higher among women than among men and higher among manual than among non-manual workers, in agreement with the corresponding patterns with respect to lung cancer. Nonsmoking women married to ever smokers had significantly higher EPPL score than those married to never smokers. The overall findings of this study suggest that EPPL is a valuable indicator of lung cancer risk and that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke is associated with higher EPPL levels and therefore with higher lung cancer risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Athens Medical School, Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agapitos
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mollo
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tomatis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Katsouyanni
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lipworth
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Delsedime
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kalandidi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karakatsani
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Riboli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Saracci
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trichopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001344:Autopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution