Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Blood cadmium burden and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a case–control study in Chinese Chaoshan population

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Cadmium is a ubiquitous carcinogenic pollutant with multiple biological effects. Both observational and experimental studies have suggested associations between cadmium and the rates of many types of cancers. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether cadmium exposure is associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in a population with a relatively high prevalence in southeast China. Hospital-based 134 NPC cases and 132 cancer-free controls were recruited from a cancer hospital in Chaoshan area, southeast of China. Basic clinical data and information of lifetime styles, smoking, and drinking as well as other demographic characteristics were also collected from medical records. Blood cadmium levels (BCLs) were detected by graphite-furnace atomizer absorption spectrophotometer (GFAAS). BCLs and over-limit ratios between cases and controls were compared. The relationships between BCLs and NPC were explored by comparing BCLs differences between/among different characteristics of related factors and logistic regression analysis. In addition, BCLs within cases were also compared in relation to the disease clinical stages, pathological types, and metastasis. The median concentration of blood cadmium in cases (3.84, interquartile range 2.21–6.10) was significantly higher than that of controls (2.28, interquartile range 1.79–3.45). The over-limit ratio (≥5 μg/L) in cases was also higher than that in controls (35.1 vs. 13.6 %, χ 2 = 16.55, p < 0.001). Smokers tended to have high levels of cadmium burden, and smokers with longer smoking pack-years in cases had relatively higher BCLs (p = 0.001). NPC patients with diseases history presented lower cadmium burden (p = 0.020). In the NPC cases, BCLs were positively associated with clinical stages and N classification (r = 0.193, 0.187, respectively, p < 0.05). Cadmium seems to be a risk factor of NPC, and high cadmium exposure may promote the occurrence and development of NPC.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Åkesson A, Julin B, Wolk A (2008) Long-term dietary cadmium intake and postmenopausal endometrial cancer incidence: a population-based prospective cohort study. Cancer Res 68:6435–6441

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Åkesson A, Barregard L, Bergdahl IA, Nordberg GF, Nordberg M, Skerfving S (2014) Non-renal effects and the risk assessment of environmental cadmium exposure. Environ Health Perspect 122:431–438

    Google Scholar 

  • Asmuß M, Mullenders LHF, Hartwig A (2000) Interference by toxic metal compounds with isolated zinc finger DNA repair proteins. Toxicol Lett 112–113:227–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beveridge R, Pintos J, Parent M, Asselin J, Siemiatycki J (2010) Lung cancer risk associated with occupational exposure to nickel, chromium VI, and cadmium in two population-based case–control studies in Montreal. Am J Ind Med 53:476–485

    Google Scholar 

  • Bocian J, Januszkiewicz-Lewandowska D (2011) Epstein-Barr virus infection—life cycle, methods of diagnosis, associated diseases. Postepy Hig Med DosW (Online) 65:286–298

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Byrne C, Divekar SD, Storchan GB, Parodi DA, Martin MB (2013) Metals and breast cancer. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 18:63–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai YL, Li J, Lu AY, Zheng YM, Zhong WM, Wang W, Gao JQ, Zeng H, Cheng JR, Tang MZ (2014) Diagnostic significance of combined detection of Epstein-Barr virus antibodies, VCA/IgA, EA/IgA, Rta/IgG and EBNA1/IgA for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 15:2001–2006

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chang ET, Adami H-O (2006) The enigmatic epidemiology of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 15:1765–1777

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen Y-C, Pu YS, Wu H-C, Wu TT, Lai MK, Yang CY, Sung F-C (2009) Cadmium burden and the risk and phenotype of prostate cancer. BMC Cancer 9:429

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng YJ, Hildesheim A, Hsu MM, Chen IH, Brinton LA, Levine PH, Chen CJ, Yang CS (1999) Cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption and risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Taiwan. Cancer Causes Control 10:201–207

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ferraro PM, Sturniolo A, Naticchia A, D’Alonzo S, Gambaro G (2012) Temporal trend of cadmium exposure in the United States population suggests gender specificities. Int Med J 42:691–697

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Galazyn-Sidorczuk M, Brzoska MM, Moniuszko-Jakoniuk J (2008) Estimation of Polish cigarettes contamination with cadmium and lead, and exposure to these metals via smoking. Environ Monit Assess 137:481–493

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gallagher CM, Chen JJ, Kovach JS (2010) Environmental cadmium and breast cancer risk. Aging (Albany NY) 2:804

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • García-Esquinas E, Pollan M, Tellez-Plaza M, Francesconi KA, Goessler W, Guallar E, Umans JG, Yeh J, Best LG, Navas-Acien A (2014) Cadmium exposure and cancer mortality in a prospective cohort: the strong heart study. Environ Health Perspect 122:363–367

    Google Scholar 

  • Giaginis C, Gatzidou E, Theocharis S (2006) DNA repair systems as targets of cadmium toxicity. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 213:282–290

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Guo X, Johnson RC, Deng H, Liao J, Guan L, Nelson GW, Tang M, Zheng Y, de The G, O’Brien SJ (2009) Evaluation of nonviral risk factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in a high-risk population of Southern China. Int J Cancer 124:2942–2947

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hartwig A (2013) Cadmium and cancer. From Toxicity to Essentiality. Springer, Cadmium, pp 491–507

    Google Scholar 

  • Henderson BE, Louie E (1978) Discussion of risk factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. IARC Sci Publ 251–60

  • Hsu WL, Chen JY, Chien YC, Liu MY, You SL, Hsu MM, Yang CS, Chen CJ (2009) Independent effect of EBV and cigarette smoking on nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a 20-year follow-up study on 9,622 males without family history in Taiwan. Cancer Epidemiolo Biomarkers Prev 18:1218–1226

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu SP, Du JP, Li DR, Yao YG (2014) Mitochondrial DNA haplogroup confers genetic susceptibility to nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Chaoshanese from Guangdong, China. PLoS One 9:e87795

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • IARC (1976) IARC monographs on the evaluation of the carcinogenic risk of chemicals to man: cadmium, nickel, some epoxides, miscellaneous industrial chemicals and general consideration on volatile anaesthetics. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risk Chem Man 11:1–293

    Google Scholar 

  • IARC (1993) Beryllium, cadmium, mercury, and exposures in the glass manufacturing industry. Working Group views and expert opinions, Lyon, 9–16 February 1993. IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks to Hum 58:1–415

    Google Scholar 

  • Järup L, Åkesson A (2009) Current status of cadmium as an environmental health problem. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 238:201–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jarup L, Berglund M, Elinder CG, Nordberg G, Vahter M (1998) Health effects of cadmium exposure—a review of the literature and a risk estimate. Scand J Work Environ Health 24(Suppl 1):1–51

    Google Scholar 

  • Ji X, Zhang W, Xie C, Wang B, Zhang G, Zhou F (2011) Nasopharyngeal carcinoma risk by histologic type in central China: impact of smoking, alcohol and family history. Int J Cancer 129:724–732

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Julin B, Wolk A, Bergkvist L, Bottai M, Åkesson A (2012) Dietary cadmium exposure and risk of postmenopausal breast cancer: a population-based prospective cohort study. Cancer Res 72:1459–1466

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kellen E, Zeegers MP, Hond ED, Buntinx F (2007) Blood cadmium may be associated with bladder carcinogenesis: the Belgian case–control study on bladder cancer. Cancer Detect Prev 31:77–82

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khassouani CE, Soulaymani R, Mauras Y, Allain P (2000) Blood cadmium concentration in the population of the Rabat area, Morocco. Clin Chim Acta 302:155–160

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khlifi R, Olmedo P, Gil F, Hammami B, Chakroun A, Rebai A, Hamza-Chaffai A (2013) Arsenic, cadmium, chromium and nickel in cancerous and healthy tissues from patients with head and neck cancer. Sci Total Environ 452:58–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khlifi R, Olmedo P, Gil F, Feki-Tounsi M, Hammami B, Rebai A, Hamza-Chaffai A (2014a) Risk of laryngeal and nasopharyngeal cancer associated with arsenic and cadmium in the Tunisian population. Environ Sci Pollut Res 21:2032–2042

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Khlifi R, Olmedo P, Gil F, Hammami B, Hamza-Chaffai A (2014b) Cadmium and nickel in blood of Tunisian population and risk of nasosinusal polyposis disease. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int

  • Liu A, Huang W, Zeng G, Ma X, Zhou X, Wang Y, Ouyang C, Cheng A (2014) Expression of the Annexin A1 gene is associated with suppression of growth, invasion and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Mol Med Rep 10:3059–3067

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Luckett BG, Su LJ, Rood JC, Fontham ET (2012) Cadmium exposure and pancreatic cancer in south Louisiana. J Environmental Pub Health 2012

  • Matsunaga Y, Agaku IT, Vardavas CI (2014) The association between cigarette rod length, slim design, and blood cadmium levels among U.S. smokers: NHANES 1999–2010. Prev Med 65:87–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Polesel J, Franceschi S, Talamini R, Negri E, Barzan L, Montella M, Libra M, Vaccher E, Franchin G, La Vecchia C, Serraino D (2011) Tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, and the risk of different histological types of nasopharyngeal cancer in a low-risk population. Oral Oncol 47:541–545

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Satarug S, Garrett SH, Sens MA, Sens DA (2010) Cadmium, environmental exposure, and health outcomes. Environ Health Perspect 118:182–190

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Su M, Liu M, Tian DP, Li XY, Zhang GH, Yang HL, Fan X, Huang HH, Gao YX (2007) Temporal trends of esophageal cancer during 1995–2004 in Nanao Island, an extremely high-risk area in China. Eur J Epidemiol 22:43–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Takiguchi M, Achanzar WE, Qu W, Li G, Waalkes MP (2003) Effects of cadmium on DNA-(Cytosine-5) methyltransferase activity and DNA methylation status during cadmium-induced cellular transformation. Exp Cell Res 286:355–365

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tsang CM, Deng W, Yip YL, Zeng MS, Lo KW, Tsao SW (2014) Epstein-Barr virus infection and persistence in nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. Chin J Cancer 33:549–555

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vaughan TL, Shapiro JA, Burt RD, Swanson GM, Berwick M, Lynch CF, Lyon JL (1996) Nasopharyngeal cancer in a low-risk population: defining risk factors by histological type. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 5:587–593

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu X, Jin T, Wang Z, Ye T, Kong Q, Nordberg G (2001) Urinary calcium as a biomarker of renal dysfunction in a general population exposed to cadmium. J Occup Environ Med 43:898–904

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang XR, Diehl S, Pfeiffer R, Chen C-J, Hsu W-L, Dosemeci M, Cheng Y-J, Sun B, Goldstein AM, Hildesheim A (2005) Evaluation of risk factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in high-risk nasopharyngeal carcinoma families in Taiwan. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 14:900–905

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yu MC, Ho JH, Lai SH, Henderson BE (1986) Cantonese-style salted fish as a cause of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: report of a case–control study in Hong Kong. Cancer Res 46:956–961

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng YM, Tuppin P, Hubert A, Jeannel D, Pan YJ, Zeng Y, de The G (1994) Environmental and dietary risk factors for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a case–control study in Zangwu County, Guangxi, China. Br J Cancer 69:508–514

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng L, Wu K, Li Y, Qi Z, Han D, Zhang B, Gu C, Chen G, Liu J, Chen S, Xu X, Huo X (2008) Blood lead and cadmium levels and relevant factors among children from an e-waste recycling town in China. Environ Res 108:15–20

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zong YS, Zhang RF, He SY, Qiu H (1983) Histopathologic types and incidence of malignant nasopharyngeal tumors in Zhongshan County. Chin Med J (Engl) 96:511–516

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zur Hausen H, Schulte-Holthausen H, Klein G, Henle W, Henle G, Clifford P, Santesson L (1970) EBV DNA in biopsies of Burkitt tumours and anaplastic carcinomas of the nasopharynx. Nature 228:1056–1058

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to all the volunteers for participating in the present study. This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (no. 81470152) and Shantou University Medical College Clinical Research Enhancement Initiative.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Author information

Author notes

    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Clinical Laboratory, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, China

      Lin Peng

    2. Department of Preventive Medicine, Shantou University Medical College, No. 22, Xinling Rd., Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, China

      Xiaoling Wang, Kun Lin, Jingwen Zhang, Yue Huang & Kusheng Wu

    3. Laboratory of Environmental Medicine and Developmental Toxicology, and Provincial Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Immunopathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, Guangdong, China

      Xia Huo & Xijin Xu

    Authors
    1. Lin Peng
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    2. Xiaoling Wang
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    3. Xia Huo
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    4. Xijin Xu
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    5. Kun Lin
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    6. Jingwen Zhang
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    7. Yue Huang
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    8. Kusheng Wu
      View author publications

      You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

    Corresponding author

    Correspondence to Kusheng Wu.

    Additional information

    Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

    Lin Peng and Xiaoling Wang contributed equally to this work.

    Rights and permissions

    Reprints and permissions

    About this article

    Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

    Cite this article

    Peng, L., Wang, X., Huo, X. et al. Blood cadmium burden and the risk of nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a case–control study in Chinese Chaoshan population. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 12323–12331 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4533-4

    Download citation

    • Received:

    • Accepted:

    • Published:

    • Issue Date:

    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4533-4

    Keywords

    Search

    Navigation