title: Particulate matter air pollution exposure, distance to road, and incident lung cancer in the nurses' health study cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A body of literature has suggested an elevated risk of lung cancer associated with particulate matter and traffic-related pollutants.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined the relation of lung cancer incidence with long-term residential exposures to ambient particulate matter and residential distance to roadway, as a proxy for traffic-related exposures.
  
  
  METHODS
  For participants in the Nurses' Health Study, a nationwide prospective cohort of women, we estimated 72-month average exposures to PM2.5, PM2.5-10, and PM10 and residential distance to road. Follow-up for incident cases of lung cancer occurred from 1994 through 2010. Cox proportional hazards models were adjusted for potential confounders. Effect modification by smoking status was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 1,510,027 person-years, 2,155 incident cases of lung cancer were observed among 103,650 participants. In fully adjusted models, a 10-μg/m3 increase in 72-month average PM10 [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.95, 1.14], PM2.5 (HR = 1.06; 95% CI: 0.91, 1.25), or PM2.5-10 (HR = 1.05; 95% CI: 0.92, 1.20) was positively associated with lung cancer. When the cohort was restricted to never-smokers and to former smokers who had quit at least 10 years before, the associations appeared to increase and were strongest for PM2.5 (PM10: HR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.00, 1.32; PM2.5: HR = 1.37; 95% CI: 1.06, 1.77; PM2.5-10: HR = 1.11; 95% CI: 0.90, 1.37). RESULTS were most elevated when restricted to the most prevalent subtype, adenocarcinomas. Risks with roadway proximity were less consistent.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support those from other studies indicating increased risk of incident lung cancer associated with ambient PM exposures, especially among never- and long-term former smokers.
authors.affiliation: Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Robin C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Puett
authors.forename: Jaime E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Jeff D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Yanosky
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Spiegelman
authors.forename: Molin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jared A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Biling
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Laden
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000633:toxicity*; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010316:Particle Size; D052638:Particulate Matter / Q000633:toxicity*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D014481:United States; D001335:Vehicle Emissions / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D052638:Particulate Matter; D001335:Vehicle Emissions