Traffic Air Pollution and Risk of Death from Breast Cancer in Taiwan: Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) as a Proxy Marker

Abstract

The relationship between breast cancer mortality and air pollution was examined using an ecological design. The study areas consisted of 61 municipalities in Taiwan. Air quality data for recorded concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) from study municipalities for 2006-2009 were obtained as a marker of traffic emissions and were used as a proxy for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) exposure. Age-standardized mortality rates for breast cancer mortality were calculated for the study municipalities for the years 1999-2008. A weighted multiple regression model was used to calculate the adjusted risk ratio in relation to PM 2.5 levels. Results showed that individuals who resided in municipalities with the highest PM 2.5 were at an increased risk of death from breast cancer. This study is the first to suggest that exposure to high levels of PM 2.5 , a proxy measure of PAHs, may be associated with an increased risk of death from breast cancer. The findings of this study warrant further investigation into the role of air pollutants in the risk of breast cancer.

Cancer Mortality Risks from Long-term Exposure to Ambient Fine Particle

“…Although most of our findings on specific cancers were not reported in the American Cancer Society study, our observations are consistent with the American Cancer Society study in a way that the excess risks of specific causes were larger than those of less specific causes (9). Our HRs per 10 mg/m 3 PM 2.5 for female genital cancer and for breast cancer were about 40% to 50% higher than the reported relative risk (1.20 and 1.19, respectively) in an ecological study of all ages in Taiwan (27,28). When compared with the American Cancer Society study, our HR per 10 mg/m 3 PM 2.5 for all-digestive organs and for male lung cancer was fairly similar to their respective HR of 1.20 and 1.43, adjusted for individual covariates and components of social factors (9).…”

Heavy Metal Compositions and Bioreactivity of Airborne PM10 in a Valley-Shaped City in Northwestern China

“…An epidemiological association between exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) and increased incidence of mortality and morbidity due to lung cancer and cardiovascular diseases has been demonstrated by recent studies (Pope et al, 2002;Nawrot et al, 2007;Gotschi et al, 2008;Hsieh et al, 2011;Hung et al, 2012). However, the causes of and mechanisms responsible for the adverse health effects associated with air particulate pollution are still unknown.…”

Evaluation of Car Air Filters’ Efficiency as Active Samplers for Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Heavy Metals

“…Some of these compounds are highly carcinogenic and/or mutagenic, several compounds have been considered as probable and possible carcinogens to humans (IARC, 1983(IARC, , 1991. Because PAHs have been frequently detected in the outdoor and indoor air of different urban area Masih et al, 2010b;Yang et al, 2010;Delgado-Saborit et al, 2011;DEFRA, 2012;Hung et al, 2012;Katsoyiannis et al, 2012;Masih et al, 2012;Alkurdi et al, 2013), they have been identified as an important class of toxic air pollutants in the atmosphere of urban areas. PAHs are present in both gas and particle phases influencing human health through inhalation and/or ingestion Ma et al, 2010;Masih et al, 2010a;Ma et al, 2011).…”