Ambient exposure to criteria air pollutants and female lung cancer in Taiwan.
To investigate the relationship between air pollution and female lung cancer, the authors conducted a matched case-control study using female deaths that occurred in Taiwan from 1995 through 2005. Data on all eligible female lung cancer deaths were obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Department of Health. The control group consisted of women who died from causes other than cancer or diseases associated with respiratory problems. The controls were pair-matched to the cases by sex, year of birth, and year of death. Each matched control was selected randomly from the set of possible controls for each case. Classification of exposure to municipality air pollution was based on the measured levels of nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide. The results of the present study show that there is a significant positive association between the levels of air pollution and female lung cancer mortality. The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) were 1.24 (1.03-1.50) for the group with medium air pollution level and 1.46 (1.18-1.81) for the group with high air pollution level when compared to the group with the low air pollution level. Trend analyses showed statistically significant trend in risk of female lung cancer with increasing air pollution level. The findings of this study warrant further investigation of the role of air pollutants in the etiology of lung cancer.
Liu
Chia-Chia
CC
Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, College of Health Sciences, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Tsai
Shang-Shyue
SS
Chiu
Hui-Fen
HF
Wu
Trong-Neng
TN
Yang
Chun-Yuh
CY
D000368:Aged; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019570:Inhalation Exposure; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012307:Risk Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology
D000393:Air Pollutants