A groundbreaking study presented at the IASLC World Conference on Lung Cancer highlights the significant impact of PM2.5 air pollution on lung cancer in women who have never smoked, emphasizing the critical need for better air quality monitoring and further research.
A new study presented at the 2024 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) World Conference on Lung Cancer reveals a significant link between air pollution and lung cancer in women who have never smoked.
Led by Yixian Chen, a researcher at the British Columbia Cancer Research Institute in Vancouver, Canada, the research underscores the urgency of addressing air quality and its broader health implications.
The Connection Between PM2.5 and Lung Cancer
The research focuses on particles smaller than 2.5 micrometers (PM2.5) and their impact on lung cancer, particularly in non-smoking women.
Using data from newly diagnosed lung cancer patients who have never smoked, the research team assessed high-resolution PM2.5 exposure based on the patients’ residential histories.
Significant Findings
The study analyzed data from 255 patients with known Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) mutation status.
For women, a substantial correlation was discovered between recent PM2.5 exposure and advanced lung cancer stages, particularly stage IV diagnoses. The difference in the 3- and 5-year PM2.5 exposure was notably higher in women with EGFR mutations than those without.
“The purpose of our study is to compare the associations between recent versus long-term cumulative PM2.5 exposure in men and women who had never smoked and lung cancer EGFR mutation status,” Chen said in a news release.
The results highlighted that recent PM2.5 exposure correlates with an increased risk of advanced lung cancer among non-smoking women, unlike the long-term exposure which showed no significant association.
Implications and Future Research
This groundbreaking discovery has critical implications for public health policies and air quality standards. The IARC has classified outdoor air pollution and PM2.5 as Group 1 carcinogens since 2013, but this study for the first time isolates the impact on non-smoking women.
“These findings suggest a potential impact of recent exposure to PM2.5 on lung cancer in people who never smoked, particularly among women, with significant differences in stage IV diagnoses among EGFR+ patients,” added Chen.
The study points to the need for more refined methods to measure air pollution exposure over shorter durations to better assess lung cancer risks.
A Call for Action
The revelations call for immediate actions towards enhancing air quality monitoring and establishing stringent pollution control measures. With air pollution already linked to various health issues, these new findings add another layer of urgency.