Influence of the Host on Tumor Development pp 171-173 | Cite as
Problems in the Assessment of Lung Cancer Risk Posed by Ambient Air Pollutants
Abstract
There is some controversy regarding the contribution of ambient air pollution to lung cancer risk. The estimates range from too small to quantify to a few percent of the total number of lung cancer deaths for the U.S. and U.K. However, even with this controversy, these figures agree that the risk due to ambient air pollution is not great (1, 4, 9, 15, 17, 19). The estimate is thought to be obscured or to involve uncertainty because of the overwhelming contribution to lung cancer mortality by cigarette smoking, associated variations in smoking habits, and changes in the tar and nicotine content of cigarettes. We must also realize that the quality of ambient air has been changing over the past 20 years, at least as evidenced by measures of certain specific indicator pollutants (Figure 1), presumably due to decreases in coal use as a heating source and regulations on open burning (6). Thus, the risk of incurring lung cancer due to general air pollution may not be constant.
Keywords
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Mouse Skin Lung Cancer Risk Occupational Setting Nicotine ContentPreview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
- 1.Carnow BW, Meier PA: Air pollution and cancer. Arch Environ Health 27:207, 1973PubMedGoogle Scholar
- 2.Cavalieri E, Mimhall A, Rogan E, Salmasi S, Kashinath P: Syncarcinogenic effect of the environment pollutants cy-clopenteno[cd]pyrene and benzo(a)pyrene in mouse skin. Carcinogenesis 4:397, 1983CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 3.DiGiovanni J, Slaga TJ, Berry DL, Juchau MR: Inhibitory effect of environmental chemicals on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon carcinogenesis. In Slaga TJ, ed. Carcinogenesis: A Comprehensive Survey, Modifiers of Chemical Carcinogenesis. New York, Raven Press, pp. 145–68, 1980Google Scholar
- 4.Doll R, Peto R: The causes of cancer: quantitative estimates of avoidable risks of cancer in the United States today. J Natl Cancer Inst 66:1193, 1981Google Scholar
- 5.Falk H, Kohn P, Thompson S: Inhibition of carcinogenesis: The effect of polycyclic hydrocarbons and related compounds. Arch Environ Health 9:169, 1964PubMedGoogle Scholar
- 6.Faoro RB: Trends in concentration of benzene soluble particulate fraction and benzo(a)pyrene. J Air Pollut Control Assoc 25:638, 1975PubMedGoogle Scholar
- 7.Grimmer G: Environmental Carcinogens: Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 1983Google Scholar
- 8.Grimmer G, Brune H, Deutsh-Wenzel R, Dettbaon G, Misfeld J: Contribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to the carcinogenic impact of gasoline engine exhaust condensate evaluated by implantation in lungs of rats. J Natl Cancer Inst 72:733, 1984PubMedGoogle Scholar
- 9.Higgins ITT: Epidemiologic evidence on the carcinogenic risk of air pollution. INSERM 51:41, 1976Google Scholar
- 10.Hoffmann D, Theisz E, Wynder E: Studies on the carcinogenicity of gasoline exhaust. J Air Pollut Control Assoc 15:162, 1965PubMedGoogle Scholar
- 11.Kotin P, Falk HL, Mader P, Thomas M: Aromatic hydrocarbons: 1. Presence in the Los Angeles atmosphere and the carcinogenicity of atmospheric extracts. Arch Ind Hyg Occup Med 9:153, 1954Google Scholar
- 12.Mass MJ, Kaufman DG, Siegfried JM, Steele VE, Nesnow S: Carcinogenesis — A Comprehensive Survey, Vol. 8., Cancer of the Respiratory Tract: Predisposing Factors. Raven Press, New York, 1985Google Scholar
- 13.Nesnow S, Triplett LL, Slaga TJ: Mouse skin tumor initiation-promotion and complete carcinogenesis bioassays; Mechanisms and biological activities of emission samples. Environ Health Perspect 47:255, 1983PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 14.Nesnow S, Triplett LL, Slaga TJ: Studies on the tumor initiating, tumor promoting, and tumor co-initiating properties of respiratory carcinogens. In Mass MJ, Kaufman DG, Siegfried JM, Steele VE, and Nesnow S, eds. Carcinogenesis — A Comprehensive Survey, Vol. 8, Cancer of the Respiratory Tract: Predisposing Factors, New York, Raven Press, pp. 257–277, 1985Google Scholar
- 15.National Research Council: Polycyclic Organic Matter. National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC, 1972Google Scholar
- 16.Pereira MA: Skin tumorigenesis research data base. J Am Coll Toxicol 1:47, 1982Google Scholar
- 17.Pike MC, Gordon RJ, Henderson BE, Menck H, Soo Hoo J: Air Pollution. In Persons at High Risk of Cancer, JF Fraumeni, ed., Academic Press, New York, pp. 225–239, 1975Google Scholar
- 18.Speizer FE: Assessment of the epidemiological data relating lung cancer to air pollution. Environ Health Perspect 47:33, 1983PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 19.Stocks P, Campbell JM: Lung cancer death rates among non-smokers and pipe and cigarette smokers. An evaluation in relation to air pollution by benzpyrene and other substances. Brit Med J 2:923, 1955PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- 20.Wynder EL, Hoffmann D: Some laboratory and epidemiological aspects of air pollution carcinogenesis. J Air Pollut Control Assoc 15:155, 1965PubMedGoogle Scholar