Men exposed to air pollution face greater prostate cancer risk, new evidence suggests
A new study reveals that men who live in crowded urban areas or close to main roads may be at increased risk of prostate cancer.
Experts have called for urgent action to tackle air pollution after evidence suggests traffic and industrial fumes could contribute to the onset of the disease that kills 12,000 men in the UK each year.
The study, based on data from 220,000 men in Britain, found that those exposed to higher levels of pollution were 6.9 per cent more likely to be later diagnosed with prostate cancer than those who were not; this risk also increased as exposure to air pollution levels increased.
Researchers believe the biggest culprit is nitrate, or NO3, from car exhaust.
Although the exact mechanism is unclear, it is already known that nitrogen, a key component of NO3, can trigger cancer cell growth.
The study is the latest to examine possible links between air pollution and prostate cancer.
Most looked at levels of tiny toxic particles known as PM2.5, which are much smaller than a human hair and can be inhaled deep into the lungs.
These particles come from vehicle exhausts, industrial and agricultural emissions, and domestic fuels burned in homes. But in the new study, scientists also examined the effects of five major components of PM2.5, including NO3.
Experts have called for urgent action to tackle air pollution after evidence suggests traffic and industrial fumes could contribute to the onset of the disease that kills 12,000 men in the UK each year.
Daily Mail campaigns to end needless prostate cancer deaths
It used data from 224,000 men with an average age of 58 and who were followed for 13.7 years.
Of those, 5 percent were diagnosed with the disease, and researchers calculated how much pollution they were exposed to based on their zip code.
The results revealed that pollution was associated with a small increase in risk, with NO3 contributing the largest impact.
Scientists from Peking University in China wrote about their study in the Journal of Urology: ‘Our findings show that ‘where you live’ is important as well as ‘who you are’ (genetics) and ‘what you do’ (lifestyle).
‘Our results highlight the urgent need to target sources of nitrate emissions, particularly traffic and agriculture, to reduce disease.’
Around 63,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in the UK.
The Mail, together with Prostate Cancer UK, has long campaigned for men to be given regular PSA testing as part of a screening programme.
Men can check their prostate cancer risk by visiting prostatcanceruk.org/risk-checker.
