A case-control study of long-term exposure to ambient volatile organic compounds and lung cancer in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Abstract

Few studies have investigated associations between nonoccupational exposure to ambient volatile organic compounds and lung cancer. We conducted a case-control study of 445 incident lung cancers and 948 controls (523 hospital, 425 general population) in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, between 1997 and 2002. Participants provided information on several risk factors, including tobacco use, secondhand exposure to cigarette smoke, obesity, and family history of cancer. Exposure to benzene, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen dioxide was estimated using land-use regression models. Exposures were linked to residential addresses to estimate exposure at the time of interview, 10 years before interview, and across past residences (time-weighted average). Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios. Analyses involving the population-based controls found that an interquartile-range increase in the time-weighted average benzene concentration (0.15 µg/m(3)) across previous residences was associated with lung cancer (odds ratio = 1.84, 95% confidence interval: 1.26, 2.68). Similarly, an interquartile-range increase in the time-weighted average nitrogen dioxide concentration (4.8 ppb) yielded an odds ratio of 1.59 (95% confidence interval: 1.19, 2.12). Our study suggests that long-term exposure to ambient volatile organic compounds and nitrogen dioxide at relatively low concentrations is associated with lung cancer. Further work is needed to evaluate joint relationships between these pollutants, smoking, and lung cancer.

• Authors: Paul J Villeneuve, Michael Jerrett, Darren Brenner, Jason Su, Hong Chen, John R McLaughlin
• Journal: American journal of epidemiology (Am J Epidemiol) Vol. 179 Issue 4 Pg. 443-51 (Feb 15 2014) ISSN: 1476-6256 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24287467 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Tobacco Smoke Pollution
• Volatile Organic Compounds
• Benzene
• Nitrogen Dioxide

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Benzene (adverse effects)
• Case-Control Studies
• Environmental Exposure (adverse effects)
• Female
• Humans
• Lung Neoplasms (chemically induced, epidemiology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Nitrogen Dioxide (adverse effects)
• Ontario (epidemiology)
• Tobacco Smoke Pollution (adverse effects)
• Volatile Organic Compounds (adverse effects)