title: Environmental tobacco smoke and lung cancer among Chinese nonsmoking males: might adenocarcinoma be the culprit?
abstract: No studies have specifically reported the association of lung adenocarcinoma with environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure among nonsmoking males. The objective of this study was to examine the exposure-response relation between ETS exposure and lung cancer among nonsmoking males. In particular, the association with adenocarcinoma of the lung was studied. This is a population-based, case-referent study in Hong Kong during 2004-2006. A total of 132 Chinese male nonsmokers with newly diagnosed primary lung cancer and 536 nonsmoking community referents were interviewed about ETS exposures from the household and/or workplace, including ever ETS exposure, sources of exposure, number of smoking cohabitants/coworkers, and smoker-years. Univariate logistic regression analyses showed a weak association between all lung cancers and ever ETS exposure from the household and/or workplace (odds ratio (OR) = 1.11, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.74, 1.67), but an increased risk was restricted to adenocarcinoma (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.00, 2.38). After adjustment for family cancer history and other confounders, excess risk (OR = 1.62, 95% CI: 0.91, 2.88) still persisted for adenocarcinoma, although it was no longer statistically significant. Exposure-response relations for adenocarcinoma were found with increasing levels of all ETS indices when exposures from the household and workplaces were combined. The consistent exposure-response relations between ETS exposures and adenocarcinoma suggested a probable causal link, which would have to be confirmed by future larger studies.
authors.affiliation: Center for Occupational and Environmental Health Studies, School of Public Health, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Lap Ah
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.forename: Ignatius Tak-Sun
authors.initials: IT
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Joseph S K
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: Kai Shing
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Kit Ping
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Tze-Wai
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Wong
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D018287:Carcinoma, Large Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D016015:Logistic Models; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016273:Occupational Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014028:Tobacco Smoke Pollution