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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2013

Open Access 01-12-2013 | Research article

Cell-type specificity of lung cancer associated with low-dose soil heavy metal contamination in Taiwan: An ecological study

Authors: Hsien-Hung Huang, Jing-Yang Huang, Chia-Chi Lung, Chih-Lung Wu, Chien-Chang Ho, Yi-Hua Sun, Pei-Chieh Ko, Shih-Yung Su, Shih-Chang Chen, Yung-Po Liaw

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2013

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Abstract

Background

Numerous studies have examined the association between heavy metal contamination (including arsenic [As], cadmium [Cd], chromium [Cr], copper [Cu], mercury [Hg], nickel [Ni], lead [Pb], and zinc [Zn]) and lung cancer. However, data from previous studies on pathological cell types are limited, particularly regarding exposure to low-dose soil heavy metal contamination. The purpose of this study was to explore the association between soil heavy metal contamination and lung cancer incidence by specific cell type in Taiwan.

Methods

We conducted an ecological study and calculated the annual averages of eight soil heavy metals (i.e., As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) by using data from the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration from1982 to 1986. The age-standardized incidence rates of lung cancer according to two major pathological types (adenocarcinoma [AC] and squamous cell carcinoma [SCC]) were obtained from the National Cancer Registry Program conducted in Taiwan from 2001 to 2005. A geographical information system was used to plot the maps of soil heavy metal concentration and lung cancer incidence rates. Poisson regression models were used to obtain the adjusted relative ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the lung cancer incidence associated with soil heavy metals.

Results

For males, the trend test for lung SCC incidence caused by exposure to Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, and Zn showed a statistically significant dose–response relationship. However, for lung AC, only Cu and Ni had a significant dose–response relationship. As for females, those achieving a statistically significant dose–response relationship for the trend test were Cr (P = 0.02), Ni (P = 0.02), and Zn (P= 0.02) for lung SCC, and Cu (P < 0.01) and Zn (P = 0.02) for lung AC.

Conclusion

The current study suggests that a dose–response relationship exists between low-dose soil heavy metal concentration and lung cancer occurrence by specific cell-type; however, the relevant mechanism should be explored further.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Cell-type specificity of lung cancer associated with low-dose soil heavy metal contamination in Taiwan: An ecological study
Authors
Hsien-Hung Huang
Jing-Yang Huang
Chia-Chi Lung
Chih-Lung Wu
Chien-Chang Ho
Yi-Hua Sun
Pei-Chieh Ko
Shih-Yung Su
Shih-Chang Chen
Yung-Po Liaw
Publication date
01-12-2013
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2013
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-330

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