Ambient air pollution and cancer in California Seventh-day Adventists.

Cancer incidence and mortality in a cohort of 6,000 Seventh-day Adventist nonsmokers who were residents of California were monitored for a 6-y period, and relationships with long-term ambient concentrations of total suspended particulates (TSPs) and ozone (O3) were studied. Ambient concentrations were expressed as mean concentrations and exceedance frequencies, which are the number of hours during which concentrations exceeded specified cutoffs (e.g., federal and California air quality standards). Risk of malignant neoplasms in females increased concurrently with exceedance frequencies for all TSP cutoffs, except the lowest, and these increased risks were highly statistically significant. An increased risk of respiratory cancers was associated with only one cutoff of O3, and this result was of borderline significance. These results are presented in the context of setting standards for these two air pollutants.

[1]  D. Abbey,et al.  Estimating cumulative ambient concentrations of air pollutants: description and precision of methods used for an epidemiological study. , 1991, Archives of environmental health.

[2]  W. L. Beeson,et al.  Chronic disease among seventh‐day adventists, a low‐risk group. Rationale, methodology, and description of the population , 1989, Cancer.

[3]  S P Cooper,et al.  Air pollution and lung cancer mortality in Harris County, Texas, 1979-1981. , 1988, American journal of epidemiology.

[4]  J. Hodgkin,et al.  Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease symptom effects of long-term cumulative exposure to ambient levels of total suspended particulates and sulfur dioxide in California Seventh-Day Adventist residents. , 1987, Archives of environmental health.

[5]  J. Hodgkin,et al.  COPD prevalence in nonsmokers in high and low photochemical air pollution areas. , 1984, Chest.

[6]  J. Vena.  Air pollution as a risk factor in lung cancer. , 1982, American journal of epidemiology.

[7]  F. Massey,et al.  The UCLA population studies of chronic obstructive respiratory disease. IV. Respiratory effect of long-term exposure to photochemical oxidants, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfates on current and never smokers. , 1981, The American review of respiratory disease.

[8]  L. Garfinkel,et al.  Mortality among California Seventh-Day Adventists for selected cancer sites. , 1980, Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

[9]  L B Lave,et al.  Air pollution and human health. , 1977, Science.

[10]  W. Winkelstein,et al.  Prostatic cancer: relationship to suspended particulate air pollution. , 1969, American journal of public health and the nation's health.

[11]  W. Winkelstein,et al.  Stomach cancer. Positive association with suspended particulate air pollution. , 1969, Archives of environmental health.

[12]  L. Breslow,et al.  Cancer of the lung and los‐angeles‐type air pollution. Prospective study , 1967 .

[13]  L. Zeidberg,et al.  The Nashville Air Pollution Study. V. Mortality from diseases of the respiratory system in relation to air pollution. , 1967, Archives of environmental health.

[14]  E. Landau,et al.  The Nashville Air Pollution Study. VII. Mortality from cancer in relation to air pollution. , 1967, Archives of environmental health.

[15]  G. Dean.  Lung Cancer and Bronchitis in Northern Ireland, 1960–2 , 1966, British medical journal.

[16]  P. Stocks.  Cancer and Bronchitis Mortality in Relation to Atmospheric Deposit and Smoke , 1959, British medical journal.

[17]  P. Stocks,et al.  Lung Cancer Death Rates among Non-Smokers and Pipe and Cigarette Smokers , 1955, British medical journal.

[18]  C. A. Mills.  URBAN AIR POLLUTION AND RESPIRATORY DISEASES , 1943 .

[19]  W. L. Beeson,et al.  Validation of Record Linkage to 2 California Population-based Tumor Registries in a Cohort Study , 1989 .

[20]  N. Breslow,et al.  Statistical methods in cancer research. Volume II--The design and analysis of cohort studies. , 1987, IARC scientific publications.

[21]  W. Dixon,et al.  BMDP statistical software , 1983 .

[22]  D. Cox.  Regression Models and Life-Tables , 1972 .