title: Residential Proximity to Major Roadways and Lung Cancer Mortality. Italy, 1990-2010: An Observational Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Air pollution from road traffic has been associated to an increased risk of lung cancer. Herein, we investigated the association between lung cancer mortality and residence near Italian highways or national major roads.
  
  
  METHODS
  Information on deaths for lung cancer registered from 1990 to 2010 and stratified by age, gender, and urban or rural municipality of residence at death were obtained from the National Institute of Statistics. Distance between the centroid of the municipality of residence and closest major roadways was considered as a proxy of pollution exposure. Relative Risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using Poisson log-linear models adjusted for age, calendar period, deprivation index, North/South gradient, and urban/rural status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A gradient in risk for lung cancer mortality was seen for residents within 50 meters (m) of national major roads. In particular, in rural municipalities a statistically significant increased risk for lung cancer death was observed in both sexes (RR = 1.27 for distance <25 m vs. 500-1999 m, 95% CI 1.17-1.42, in men; RR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.64-2.39, in women). In urban municipalities, weak risks of borderline significance were documented in both sexes (RR = 1.06, 95% CI 0.99-1.15 in men; and RR = 1.09, 95% CI 0.97-1.22 in women). No statistically significant association emerged between residence within 100 to 500 m from highways and RRs of death for lung cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Italy, residing near national major roads, in particular in rural municipalities, was related to elevated risks of death for lung cancer.
authors: Unit of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, Aviano 33081, Italy. bidolie@cro.it.
authors: Ettore
authors: E
authors: Bidoli
authors: Division for Socio-Demographic and Environmental Statistics-Statistics on Health and Social Security, National Institute of Statistics, Rome 00184, Italy. pappagal@istat.it.
authors: Marilena
authors: M
authors: Pappagallo
authors: Unit of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, Aviano 33081, Italy. birris@cro.it.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Birri
authors: Division for Socio-Demographic and Environmental Statistics-Statistics on Health and Social Security, National Institute of Statistics, Rome 00184, Italy. frova@istat.it.
authors: Luisa
authors: L
authors: Frova
authors: Direzione Centrale Salute, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Servizio Regionale di Epidemiologia, Udine 33100, Italy. loris.zanier@regione.fvg.it.
authors: Loris
authors: L
authors: Zanier
authors: Unit of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, IRCCS, Aviano 33081, Italy. serrainod@cro.it.
authors: Diego
authors: D
authors: Serraino
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000397:Air Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D001334:Automobile Driving; D004787:Environmental Pollution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D016014:Linear Models; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: Italy; lung cancer; major roadways; mortality; nationwide; residence proximity