Abstract
There is evidence linking air pollutants associated with vehicular traffic such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with breast carcinogenesis. Epidemiological studies have shown conflicting results regarding air pollution and breast cancer risk, which could be explained by the multitude of other risk factors that could affect the association. In Chile, air pollution has reached alarming levels, either due to motorised vehicle traffic or the combustion of wood for heating; therefore, our objective was to evaluate the association between the incidence of breast cancer and the concentration of the main air pollutants monitored in the country.We carried out a cross-sectional ecological study that evaluated the association between the average incidence of breast cancer in years (2016 to 2018) and the average annual concentration of six atmospheric pollutants in the 5 years prior to the estimation of the rate in communes of Chile, using the population of beneficiaries of Instituto Oncológico Fundación Arturo López Pérez. The annual incidence of breast cancer was 72.21 cases per 100,000 women and it varied significantly in the communes studied compared to the human development index (HDI) and to the proportion of women in the age group at highest risk. Assessing the relationship between the incidence of breast cancer and the average concentration of atmospheric pollutants, we only found a direct correlation between the level of nitrogen dioxide and the rate (R = 0.82; p = 0.044), whose significance tends to be lost when age and the communal HDI are included in a regression model.
Highlights
Breast cancer is the leading cause of mortality attributed to malignant neoplasms in female population of Chile (15.59 deaths per 100,000 women per year) and it is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in developed countries [1, 2]
During the 2016–2018 period, 661 new cases of breast cancer were treated in women with an oncology agreement
By evaluating the relationship between the adjusted incidence of breast cancer and the communal human development index (HDI), we found a direct and significant correlation (R = 0.68 p = 0.007) (Figure 2)
Summary
Breast cancer is the leading cause of mortality attributed to malignant neoplasms in female population of Chile (15.59 deaths per 100,000 women per year) and it is the most common cancer diagnosed in women in developed countries [1, 2]. Among the risk factors for breast cancer, there are modifiable ones such as the use of contraceptives and hormone replacement therapy, nutritional status and a high-fat diet, alcohol and tobacco consumption, exposure to ionising radiation in the chest and reproductive history. Other factors are not modifiable such as age, sex, age at menopause, family and personal history of breast cancer [5] They can be classified as major and minor factors according to whether they increase the risk of the disease more or less than 2 times. Minor risk factors are age, the presence of relatives with a diagnosis of breast cancer after 60 years, nutritional disorders due to excess alcohol intake and exposure to hormonal therapies, among others [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
