Evaluation based on systematic review of epidemiological evidence among Japanese populations: tobacco smoking and total cancer risk.
BACKGROUND
We evaluated the association between tobacco smoking and total cancer risk among Japanese populations based on a systematic review of epidemiological evidence.


METHODS
Original data were obtained from searches of MEDLINE using PubMed, complemented with manual searches. Evaluation of associations was based on the strength of evidence and the magnitude of association, together with biological plausibility as previously evaluated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Meta-analysis of associations was also conducted to obtain summary estimates of association.


RESULTS
A total of eight cohort studies were identified. In men, all studies consistently showed a moderately increased risk of total cancer in current smokers compared with never-smokers. In women, an increase in risk was seen but was weaker than in men. The summary relative risk was estimated as 1.53 (95% confidence interval 1.41-1.65).


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that there is convincing evidence that current tobacco smoking moderately increases the risk ( approximately 1.5 times) of total cancer in the Japanese population compared with never-smoking Japanese.
Epidemiology and Prevention Division, Research Center for Cancer Prevention and Screening, National Cancer Center, 5-1-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan. mnminoue@gan2.res.ncc.go.jp
Manami
M
Inoue
Ichiro
I
Tsuji
Kenji
K
Wakai
Chisato
C
Nagata
Tetsuya
T
Mizoue
Keitaro
K
Tanaka
Shoichiro
S
Tsugane
D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires