An urban-rural and sex differences in cancer incidence and mortality and the relationship with PM 2.5 exposure: An ecological study in the southeastern side of Hu line

• Published in: Chemosphere (Oxford) Vol. 216; p. 766
• Main Authors: Wang, Hong, Gao, Zhiqiu, Ren, Jingzheng, Liu, Yibo, Chang, Lisa Tzu-Chi, Cheung, Kevin, Feng, Yun, Li, Yubin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.02.2019
• Subjects: Female; Humans; Incidence; Male; Neoplasms - epidemiology; Neoplasms - mortality; Research Design; Risk; Rural Population; Sex Characteristics; Survival Rate; Urban Population; Cancer mortality; Cancer incidence; PM(2.5); Urban-rural difference; Sex difference; Relative risk

This study investigates the urban-rural and sex differences in the increased risks of the ten most common cancers in China related to high PM concentration in the southeastern side of Hu line. Pearson correlation coefficient is estimated to reveal how the cancers closely associated with PM long-term exposure. Then linear regression is conducted to evaluate sex- and area-specific increased risks of those cancers from high level PM long-term exposure. The major finding is with the increase of every 10 μg/m of annual mean PM concentration, the increase of relative risks for lung cancer incidence and mortality are 15% and 23% for males, and 22% and 24% for females in rural area. For urban area, the increase of relative risk for ovarian cancer incidence is 9% for females, while that for prostatic cancer increases 17% for males. For leukemia, the increase of relative risks for incidence and mortality are 22% and 19% for females in rural area, while in urban area the increase of relative risk for mortality is 9% for males and for incidence is 6% for females. It is also found that with increased PM exposure, the risks for ovarian and prostatic cancer rise significantly in urban area, while risks for lung cancer and leukemia rise significantly in rural area. The results demonstrate the higher risks for lung cancer and leukemia with increased PM exposure are more significant for female. This study also suggests that the carcinogenic effects of PM have obvious sex and urban-rural differences.