Skip to main content
Log in

The impact of particulate matter 2.5 on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis

  • Original Article
  • Published:
International Archives of Occupational and Environmental Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

The convoluted element of PM2.5 may cause various biological reactions. Nowadays, few studies have indicated the long-term health effects of PM2.5 on HCC. Therefore, this meta-analysis first aims to obtain more precise estimates of the effects of PM2.5 exposure on HCC to assess the strength of the evidence.

Methods

A combination of computer and manual retrieval was used to search in Medline through PubMed, EMBASE and Web of Science. Review Manager 5.3 software was used to examine the heterogeneity among the studies.

Results

Finally, 8 qualified articles meet the inclusion criteria. The results were I2 = 0%, P > 0.1 indicating that there was no heterogeneity. The results showed that the concentration of PM2.5 increased by 10 μg/m3 was significantly correlated with liver cancer, and HR was 1.22 (95% CI 1.14–1.30, P < 0.05), indicating that maternal exposure to PM2.5 was positively correlated with liver cancer.

Conclusions

Our meta-analysis showed that the patients with HCC significance related to PM2.5 exposure. However, more studies investigating the combined effects of different air pollutants on HCC incidence are warranted to provide more comprehensive evidence for assessing the different levels impacts of PM2.5 exposure on HCC incidence.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analyzed during the current study.

References

  • Bray F, Ferlay J, Soerjomataram I et al (2018) Global cancer statistics 2018: GLOBOCAN estimates of incidence and mortality worldwide for 36 cancers in 185 countries. CA Cancer J Clin 68:394–424

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • CE Module: Evaluation of Aldehydes, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons, and PM2.5 Levels in Food Trucks: A Pilot Study. Workplace Health Saf. 2020;68(9):452.

  • Chen Z, Ji N, Wang Z, Wu C, Sun Z, Li Y, Hu F, Wang Z, Huang M, Zhang M. Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Promoted the invasion of lung cancer cells via an ARNT2/PP2A/STAT3/MMP2 pathway. J Biomed Nanotechnol. 2018;14(12):2172–2184.

  • Cicalese L, Raun L, Shirafkan A, Campos L, Zorzi D, Montalbano M, Rhoads C, Gazis V, Ensor K, Rastellini C (2017) An ecological study of the association between air pollution and hepatocellular carcinoma incidence in Texas. Liver Cancer 6(4):287–296

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cogliano VJ, Baan RA, Straif K, Grosse Y, Secretan B, El Ghissassi F (2008) Use of mechanistic data in IARC evaluations. Environ Mol Mutagen 49(2):100–109

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coleman NC, Burnett RT, Higbee JD, Lefler JS, Merrill RM, Ezzati M, Marshall JD, Kim SY, Bechle M, Robinson AL, Pope CA 3rd (2020) Cancer mortality risk, fine particulate air pollution, and smoking in a large, representative cohort of US adults. Cancer Causes Control 31(8):767–776

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coleman NC, Burnett RT, Ezzati M, Marshall JD, Robinson AL, Pope CA 3rd. Fine Particulate Matter Exposure and Cancer Incidence: Analysis of SEER Cancer Registry Data from 1992–2016. Environ Health Perspect. 2020;128(10):107004.

  • Forner A, Reig M, Bruix J (2018) Hepatocellular carcinoma. Lancet 391(10127):1301–1314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fu H, Liu X, Li W, Zu Y, Zhou F, Shou Q, Ding Z. PM2.5 Exposure Induces Inflammatory Response in Macrophages via the TLR4/COX-2/NF-κB Pathway. Inflammation. 2020;43(5):1948–1958.

  • Guo C, Chan TC, Teng YC, Lin C, Bo Y, Chang LY, Lau AKH, Tam T, Wong MCS, Qian Lao X. Long-term exposure to ambient fine particles and gastrointestinal cancer mortality in Taiwan: A cohort study. Environ Int. 2020;138:105640.

  • He F, Tang JJ, Zhang T, Lin J, Li F, Gu X, Chen R. Impact of Air Pollution on Cognitive Impairment in Older People: A Cohort Study in Rural and Suburban China. J Alzheimers Dis. 2020.

  • Hsu SH, Wang LT, Lee KT et al (2013) Proinflammatory homeobox gene, ISX, regulates tumor growth and survival in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Res 73(2):508–518

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kampa M, Castanas E (2008) Human health effects of air pollution. Environ Pollut 151:362–367

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kim JW, Park S, Lim CW, Lee K, Kim B (2014) The role of air pollutants in initiating liver disease. Toxicol Res 30(2):65

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim RE, Shin CY, Han SH, Kwon KJ. Astaxanthin Suppresses PM2.5-Induced Neuroinflammation by Regulating Akt Phosphorylation in BV-2 Microglial Cells. Int J Mol Sci. 2020;21(19):E7227.

  • Lang H, Sotiropoulos GC, Brokalaki EI et al (2007) Survival and recurrence rates after resection for hepatocellular carcinoma in noncirrhotic livers. J Am Coll Surg 205(1):27–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lee CH, Hsieh SY, Huang WH, Wang IK, Yen TH. Association between Ambient Particulate Matter 2.5 Exposure and Mortality in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(14):2490.

  • Li W, Dorans KS, Wilker EH, Rice MB, Long MT, Schwartz J, Coull BA, Koutrakis P, Gold DR, Fox CS, Mittleman MA (2017) Residential proximity to major roadways, fine particulate matter, and hepatic steatosis: the framingham heart study. Am J Epidemiol 186(7):857–865

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu Z, Wang Y, Dou C et al (2018) Hypoxia-induced up-regulation of VASP promotes invasiveness and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Theranostics 8:4649–4663

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Margulis AV, Pladevall M, Riera-Guardia N, Varas-Lorenzo C, Hazell L, Berkman ND et al (2014) Quality assessment of observational studies in a drug-safety systematic review, comparison of two tools: the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale and the RTI item bank. Clin Epidemiol 6:359–368

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markevych I, Wolf K, Hampel R et al (2013) Air pollution and liver enzymes. Epidemiology 24(6):934–935

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mehta M, Chen LC, Gordon T, Rom W, Tang MS (2008) Particulate matter inhibits DNA repair and enhances mutagenesis. Mutat Res 657:116–121

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pan WC, Wu CD, Chen MJ, Huang YT, Chen CJ, Su HJ, Yang HI (2016) Fine Particle pollution, alanine transaminase, and liver cancer: a taiwanese prospective cohort study (REVEAL-HBV). J Natl Cancer Inst 108:3

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pedersen M, Andersen ZJ, Stafoggia M, Weinmayr G, Galassi C, Sørensen M, Eriksen KT, Tjønneland A, Loft S, Jaensch A, Nagel G, Concin H, Tsai MY, Grioni S, Marcon A, Krogh V, Ricceri F, Sacerdote C, Ranzi A, Sokhi R, Vermeulen R, Hoogh K, Wang M, Beelen R, Vineis P, Brunekreef B, Hoek G, Raaschou-Nielsen O (2017) Ambient air pollution and primary liver cancer incidence in four European cohorts within the ESCAPE project. Environ Res 154:226–233

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prunicki M, Stell L, Dinakarpandian D, de Planell-Saguer M, Lucas RW, Hammond SK, Balmes JR, Zhou X, Paglino T, Sabatti C, Miller RL, Nadeau KC. Exposure to NO2, CO, and PM2.5 is linked to regional DNA methylation differences in asthma. Clin Epigenetics. 2018;10:2.

  • Son Y, Giovenco DP, Delnevo C, Khlystov A, Samburova V, Meng Q (2020) Indoor air quality and passive E-cigarette aerosol exposures in vape-shops. Nicotine Tob Res 22(10):1772–1779

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • VoPham T, Bertrand KA, Tamimi RM, Laden F, Hart JE. Ambient PM2.5 air pollution exposure and hepatocellular carcinoma incidence in the United States. Cancer Causes Control. 2018;29(6):563–572.

  • Wang Y, Zhong Y, Zhang C, Liao J, Wang G. PM2.5 downregulates MicroRNA-139–5p and induces EMT in Bronchiolar Epithelium Cells by targeting Notch1. J Cancer. 2020;11(19):5758–5767.

  • Wong CM, Tsang H, Lai HK, Thomas GN, Lam KB, Chan KP, Zheng Q, Ayres JG, Lee SY, Lam TH, Thach TQ (2016) Cancer mortality risks from long-term exposure to ambient fine particle. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 25(5):839–845

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yang L, Liu G, Li X, Xia Z, Wang Y, Lin W, Zhang W, Zhang W, Li X. Small GTPase RAB6 deficiency promotes alveolar progenitor cell renewal and attenuates PM2.5-induced lung injury and fibrosis. Cell Death Dis. 2020;11(10):827.

  • Zhang J, Cai L, Gui Z, Wang S, Zeng X, Lai L, Lv Y, Tan K, Wang H, Huang C, Chen Y (2020) Air pollution-associated blood pressure may be modified by diet among children in Guangzhou. China J Hypertens 38(11):2215–2222

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang H, Li Z. microRNA-16 Via Twist1 Inhibits EMT Induced by PM2.5 Exposure in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Open Med (Wars). 2019;14:673–682.

  • Zhang Q, Luo Q, Yuan X, Chai L, Li D, Liu J, Lv Z. Atmospheric particulate matter2. 5 promotes the migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Oncol Lett. 2017;13(5):3445–3450.

  • Zheng Z, Zhang X, Wang J, Dandekar A, Kim H, Qiu Y, Xu X, Cui Y, Wang A, Chen LC (2015) Exposure to fine airborne particulate matters induces hepatic fibrosis in murine models. J Hepatol 63(6):1397–1404

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zheng Z, Zhang X, Wang J, Dandekar A, Kim H, Qiu Y, Xu X, Cui Y, Wang A, Chen LC, Rajagopalan S, Sun Q, Zhang K. Exposure to fine airborne particulate matters induces hepatic fibrosis in murine models. J Hepatol. 2015 Dec;63(6):1397-404

Download references

Acknowledgements

Not applicable.

Funding

This work is supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China, Grant/Award Numbers: 81600800.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

WZH and ZM designed and analyzed the research study; WZH and YH wrote and revised the manuscript, WZH and LHD collected the data and have read and approved the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Hong Yu or Hua-Dong Li.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent to public

Not applicable.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Wu, ZH., Zhao, M., Yu, H. et al. The impact of particulate matter 2.5 on the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 95, 677–683 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-021-01773-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-021-01773-0

Keywords

Navigation