Lung cancer mortality in towns near paper, pulp and board industries in Spain: a point source pollution study.
BACKGROUND
This study sought to ascertain whether there might be excess lung cancer mortality among the population residing in the vicinity of Spanish paper and board industries which report their emissions to the European Pollutant Emission Register (EPER).


METHODS
This was an ecological study that modelled the Standardised Mortality Ratio (SMR) for lung cancer in 8073 Spanish towns over the period 1994-2003. Population exposure to industrial pollution was estimated on the basis of distance from town of residence to pollution source. An exploratory, near-versus-far analysis was conducted, using mixed Poisson regression models and an analysis of the effect of municipal proximity within a 50-kilometre radius of each of the 18 installations.


RESULTS
Results varied for the different facilities. In two instances there was an increasing mortality gradient with proximity to the installation, though this was exclusively observed among men.


CONCLUSIONS
The study of cancer mortality in areas surrounding pollutant foci is a useful tool for environmental surveillance, and serves to highlight areas of interest susceptible to being investigated by ad hoc studies. Despite present limitations, recognition is therefore due to the advance represented by publication of the EPER and the study of pollutant foci.
Monge-Corella
Susana
S
Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Area, National Centre for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain. smonge@isciii.es
García-Pérez
Javier
J
Aragonés
Nuria
N
Pollán
Marina
M
Pérez-Gómez
Beatriz
B
López-Abente
Gonzalo
G
D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D062665:Epidemiological Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D007221:Industry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D010209:Paper; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012306:Risk; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology
D007220:Industrial Waste