Lung cancer risk and workplace exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to quantitatively evaluate the association between work-place environmental tobacco smoke exposure and lung cancer.


METHODS
We performed a meta-analysis in 2003 of data from 22 studies from multiple locations worldwide of workplace environmental tobacco smoke exposure and lung cancer risk. Estimates of relative risk from these studies were analyzed by fitting the data to fixed and mixed effects models. Analyses of highly exposed workers and of the relationship between duration of exposure and lung cancer were also performed.


RESULTS
The meta-analysis indicated a 24% increase in lung cancer risk (relative risk [RR]=1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.18, 1.29) among workers exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. A 2-fold increased risk (RR=2.01; 95% CI=1.33, 2.60) was observed for workers classified as being highly exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. A strong relationship was observed between lung cancer and duration of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings from this investigation provide the strongest evidence to date that exposure to environmental tobacco smoke in the workplace is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer.
Stayner
Leslie
L
School of Public Health, Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL 60612, USA. lstayner@uic.edu
Bena
James
J
Sasco
Annie J
AJ
Smith
Randall
R
Steenland
Kyle
K
Kreuzer
Michaela
M
Straif
Kurt
K
D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012306:Risk; D013997:Time Factors; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017132:Workplace
D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution