Air pollution and respiratory cancer: what relationship? It 'true that if I
have an industry next to my house I get sick?
personal notes and reflections dr. Claudius Italian, internist
Lately, though the work is arduous, it was shown that there is a relationship
between cancer and respiratory pollutants, regardless of the use of tobacco (see
smoking), which as we know, is a major cause of cancer. We shall not speak here
of respiratory infections, chronic bronchitis of
And affecting old people and children living in industrial areas and cities
choked with traffic, but there sofferemeremo the relationship between the risk
of cancer of the airways and pollution. It 'difficult to answer this question
with scientific certainty, in fact study the causes of cancer is a complex task
that must be related:
Causes genetic alterations and genes that disvitali underlying alteration of the
cancer process;
Other cofactors such as cigarette smoking, lifestyle, obesity, infections;
Environmental factors that interact with genetic predisposition
Cancer, in short, is a multifactorial disease, but one thing is certain: in
Italy the growth of tumors is to epidemic levels. Last thirty years have
witnessed an increase from 15 to 20 percent more cases of lymphoma and leukemia,
37 percent more cases of mesothelioma, 27 percent of breast cancer, 20 percent
of liver tumors (see liver cancer). Most often affected are children with
increased respiratory problems, strange cone of neuroblastoma tumors, tumors of
the central nervous system and leukemia. And there is a greater concentration in
54 areas of the peninsula, the Bel Paese, stank from power plants, petrochemical
and other industrial conglomerates, and, last but not fundus, fly tipping.
Major pollution sources are represented by: automotive, chemical industries and
refineries, incinerators or incinerators, landfills, heating, fertilizers,
pesticides used in agriculture, etc. ...
Studies Dr. Paul Franceschi, a specialist in respiratory diseases, is that an
individual smoker develops cancer and that smoking is the leading cause of
developing lung cancer and respiratory problems in general, however, if the
person lives in the smog of Milan For example, your risk of ill is multiplied by
1.5 times more than that if you live in the countryside, in a healthy
environment. The same applies to persons who fall ill with non-Hodgkin's
lymphomas, which are in areas where residents have been active municipal solid
waste incinerators according to studies by Professor. Annibale Biggeri,
University of Florence, where she shows an excess in mortality from 1970 to 1989
for these diseases. If we talk of Porto Marghera, however, we must speak of
pollutants based on vinyl chloride, which causes liver angiosarcomas.
.
So it is not true of lung cancer just sick smokers but also non-smokers may
become ill if they live in highly polluted urban areas where the finest dust
runs into respiratory purposes, ie thin 2.5 pm or finer (see pollutants in
Gela).
Or you could tell many stories of people who have never smoked and have had
cancer of the larynx, as individuals living in the hinterland of Civitavecchia,
where there are power plants and cement industries that emit sulfur oxides in
air and dust. In order studies were highly reliable that you can have the engine
on Pub Med abstracts, one on a population of individuals living in India, study
conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer has shown that the
use of fuel fossil and biomass is a probable carcinogen. The Indian people use
wood for cooking at home, at least in 74% of cases and the use of associated
subjects including non-smokers at increased risk of cancer of the hypopharynx
and larynx (OR 3:47, CI 0.95-12.69) and laryngeal (OR 3.65, CI 1.11-11.93) and
lung cancer [odds ratio (OR) 3.76, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.64-8.63]. Yet
another study shows that chewing tobacco reliable results in an increased risk
of developing cancer of the hypopharynx but not the larynx, unlike the smoking
of tobacco.
BACKGROUND: A recent Monograph by the International Agency for Research on
Cancer (IARC) has Identified indoor air pollution from coal usage as a known
human carcinogen, while That from biomass as a probable human carcinogen.
Although as much as 74% of the Indian Population relies on solid fuels for
cooking, very little information is available on Cancer Risk Associated with
These fuels in India. METHODS: Using data from a multicentric case-control study
of 799 lung and 1062 hypopharyngeal / laryngeal cancer cases, and 718 controls,
we investigated indoor air pollution from solid fuels as Various Risk Factors
for These Cancers in India. RESULTS: Compared with never users, individuals who
always used coal HAD an Increased risk of lung cancer [odds ratio (OR) 3.76, 95%
confidence interval (CI) 1.64-8.63]. Long duration of coal usage (> 50 years)
Was a risk factor for hypopharyngeal (OR 3:47, CI 0.95-12.69) and laryngeal (OR
3.65, CI 1.11-11.93) Cancers. An Increased risk of hypopharyngeal cancer WAS
Observed Among lifelong users of wood (OR 1.62, CI 1:14 to 2:32), However this
WAS less Apparent Among never-smokers. Increasing level of smokiness inside the
home WAS Associated with an Increasing Risk of hypopharyngeal and lung cancer (P
(trend) <0.05). CONCLUSION: This study showed differential Risks Associated with
indoor air pollution from burning wood and coal, and Provides novel evidence on
Cancer Risks Associated with solid fuel usage in India. Our Findings Suggest
That Reducing indoor air pollution from solid fuels May Contribute to Prevention
of These Cancers in India, Additions to tobacco and alcohol control programs.
Sapkota A, Gajalakshmi V Jetly DH, Roychowdhury S, Dikshit RP, Brennan P,
Hashiba M, Boffetto P.
International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France.
Hypopharyngeal and laryngeal Cancers Are Among The Most Common Cancers in India.
In Addition to smoking, tobacco chewing May Be a Major Risk Factor for Some of
These Cancers in India. Using data from a multicentric case-control study
conducted in India That included 513 hypopharyngeal cancer cases, 511 laryngeal
cancer cases and 718 controls, we investigated smoking and chewing tobacco
products as risk factors for These Cancers. Bidi smoking Was a Stronger Risk
Factor Compared to cigarette smoking for cancer of the hypopharynx (OR (bidi)
6.80 vs.. OR (cig) 3.82) and supraglottis (OR (bidi) vs. 7:53. OR (cig) 2.14),
while the effect of the WAS 2 similar products for cancer of the glottis (OR (bidi)
vs. 5:32. OR (cig) 5.74). Among never-smokers, tobacco chewing Was a risk factor
for hypopharyngeal cancer, but not for laryngeal cancer. In particular, the risk
of hypopharyngeal cancer with the Increased Use of Khaine (OR 2.02, CI
0.81-5.05), Mawa (OR 3.17, CI 1:06 to 9:53), Pan (OR 3:34, CI 1.68-6.61), Zardo
(OR 3:58 , CI 1.20-10.68) and Gutkha (OR 4:59, CI 1:21 to 17:49). A strong
dose-response relationship WAS Observed Between chewing frequency and the risk
of hypopharyngeal cancer (p (trend) <0.001). An effect of alcohol on cancer of
the hypopharynx and only supraglottis WAS Observed Among daily drinkers (OR
2.22, CI 1:11 to 4:45 and OR 3.76, CI 1:25 to 11:30, respectively). In summary,
this study shows That chewing tobacco products Commercially available in India
are risk factors for hypopharyngeal cancer, and the potency of Bidi smoking That
May Be Higher Than That of cigarette smoking for hypopharyngeal and laryngeal
Cancers. (C) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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