Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Lung Cancer Among Chinese Nonsmoking Males: Might Adenocarcinoma Be the Culprit?

摘要

No studies have specifically reported the association of lung adenocarcinoma with environmental tobacconsmoke (ETS) exposure among nonsmoking males. The objective of this study was to examine the exposure-nresponse relation between ETS exposure and lung cancer among nonsmoking males. In particular, the asso-nciation with adenocarcinoma of the lung was studied. This is a population-based, case-referent study in HongnKong during 2004–2006. A total of 132 Chinese male nonsmokers with newly diagnosed primary lung cancernand 536 nonsmoking community referents were interviewed about ETS exposures from the household and/ornworkplace, including ever ETS exposure, sources of exposure, number of smoking cohabitants/coworkers, andnsmoker-years. Univariate logistic regression analyses showed a weak association between all lung cancersnand ever ETS exposure from the household and/or workplace (odds ratio (OR) ¼ 1.11, 95% confidence intervaln(CI): 0.74, 1.67), but an increased risk was restricted to adenocarcinoma (OR ¼ 1.68, 95% CI: 1.00, 2.38).nAfter adjustment for family cancer history and other confounders, excess risk (OR ¼ 1.62, 95% CI: 0.91, 2.88)nstill persisted for adenocarcinoma, although it was no longer statistically significant. Exposure-response rela-ntions for adenocarcinoma were found with increasing levels of all ETS indices when exposures from thenhousehold and workplaces were combined. The consistent exposure-response relations between ETS expo-nsures and adenocarcinoma suggested a probable causal link, which would have to be confirmed by futurenlarger studies.