Long-term exposure to air pollution and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in Denmark: A population-based case–control study
Corresponding Author
Tahir Taj
Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Correspondence to: Tahir Taj, E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorAslak H. Poulsen
Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorMatthias Ketzel
Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
Search for more papers by this authorCamilla Geels
Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorJørgen Brandt
Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorJesper H. Christensen
Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorRobin Puett
Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD, USA
Search for more papers by this authorUlla A. Hvidtfeldt
Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorMette Sørensen
Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Department of Natural Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorOle Raaschou-Nielsen
Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorCorresponding Author
Tahir Taj
Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Correspondence to: Tahir Taj, E-mail: [email protected]Search for more papers by this authorAslak H. Poulsen
Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorMatthias Ketzel
Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE) Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Surrey, Guildford, United Kingdom
Search for more papers by this authorCamilla Geels
Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorJørgen Brandt
Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorJesper H. Christensen
Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorRobin Puett
Maryland Institute for Applied Environmental Health, University of Maryland School of Public Health, College Park, MD, USA
Search for more papers by this authorUlla A. Hvidtfeldt
Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorMette Sørensen
Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Department of Natural Science and Environment, Roskilde University, Roskilde, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorOle Raaschou-Nielsen
Danish Cancer Society Research Center, Copenhagen, Denmark
Department of Environmental Science, Aarhus University, Roskilde, Denmark
Search for more papers by this authorAbstract
There is limited evidence regarding a possible association between exposure to ambient air pollutants and the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Previous epidemiological studies have relied on crude estimations for air pollution exposure and/or small numbers of NHL cases. The objective of our study was to analyze this association based on air pollution modeled at the address level and NHL cases identified from the nationwide Danish Cancer Registry. We identified 20,874 incident NHL cases diagnosed between 1989 and 2014 and randomly selected 41,749 controls matched on age and gender among the entire Danish population. We used conditional logistic regression to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and adjusted for individual and neighborhood level sociodemographic variables. There was no association between exposure to PM2.5, BC, O3, SO2 or NO2 and overall risk of NHL but several air pollutants were associated with higher risk of follicular lymphoma, but statistically insignificant, for example, PM2.5 (OR = 1.15 per 5 μg/m3; 95% CI: 0.98–1.34) and lower risk for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (OR = 0.92 per 5 μg/m3; 95% CI: 0.82–1.03). In this population-based study, we did not observe any convincing evidence of a higher overall risk for NHL with higher exposure to ambient air pollutants.
Abstract
What's new?
Known risk factors of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) appear to be involved in only a small percentage of NHL cases. However, while other factors are suspected of influencing NHL risk, including socioeconomic factors and outdoor air pollution, existing evidence is inconclusive. In this investigation of outdoor air pollution and NHL risk in NHL patients diagnosed between 1989 and 2014 in Denmark, no association was detected between long-term air pollution exposure at an individual's residence and overall NHL risk. Air pollution was insignificantly associated with increased risk of follicular lymphoma and reduced risk of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, two common NHL subtypes.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
Supporting Information
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