14 DAY TRIAL // Scientists have elaborated a study which provides disturbing information for the people who have never lightened a cigarette in their entire life. It seems that they still face the risks of dying from lung cancer, while becoming casual victims of the air pollution phenomenon.
Researchers from University of Ottawa determined that there are compelling evidence which state the fact that acute and chronic exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) air pollution increases the rates of cardiopulmonary mortality.
Despite their breakthrough, experts still can't figure the role of PM2.5 in the entire equation which is applied in the case of developed countries and in individuals who have never smoked.
The study's main objective is to correlate the long-term ambient PM2.5 concentrations with the rate of lung cancer mortality, while taking into consideration the case of 188,699 lifelong never smokers extracted from the 1.2 million Cancer Prevention Study. The data has been carefully analyzed since 1982 and until 2008.
For each participant the experts have designated a PM2.5 concentration, relying on central monitoring data.
The numbers were very conclusive. It seems that scientists have established, after taking into consideration 1,100 deaths caused by lung cancer during 26 years, that every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentrations is responsible for a 15-27% increase in lung cancer mortality.
The risks of dying from this disease in correlation with a growth of PM2.5 are almost the same, regardless of factors such as gender, age, or education level, criteria which often make a difference.
The only exception to this rule was the fact that people with a normal body mass index and a history of chronic lung disease at enrollment were more exposed to risks than the other participants.
All in all, scientists from Ottawa University are now proud, yet unhappy to announce the public opinion that not only the tobacco industry is responsible for millions of deaths caused by lung cancer.
They managed to establish that ambient concentrations of PM2.5 measured during the last decades are associated with a small, nevertheless detectable growth in lung cancer mortality.