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Risk factors for lung cancer: a case–control study in Hong Kong women

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Abstract

To identify etiological connections of lung cancer in Chinese women in Hong Kong, who are among the highest in lung cancer incidence and mortality, we conducted a case–control study, in which 279 female lung cancer cases and 322 controls were selected and frequency matched. A variety of information, including dietary habits, occupational history, smoking, domestic environmental exposures, and family history of cancer was collected, and their associations with lung cancer were analyzed with logistic analysis approach. In addition to positive associations with exposures to cooking emissions and to radon at home, smoking and family cancer history, we observed that increasing consumption of meat was linked to a higher risk, whereas consumptions of vegetables had a strong protective effect against lung cancer. Moderate consumption of coffee appeared to be beneficial against the disease. Those never employed and domestic helpers were at a higher risk. The results indicated that environmental exposures, risky personal behaviors, or lifestyle, as well as family cancer aggregation are among important contributors to the high incidence of lung cancer in Hong Kong females.

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Abbreviations

ETS:

Environmental tobacco smoke

RRE:

Residential radon exposure

ORs:

Odds ratios

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Acknowledgments

The work described in this paper was substantially supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. CUHK4103/02M).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, 4/F, School of Public Health, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, NT, Hong Kong SAR, China

    Yuk-Lan Chiu, Xiao-Rong Wang, Hong Qiu & Ignatius Tak-Sun Yu

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  1. Yuk-Lan Chiu
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  2. Xiao-Rong Wang
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  4. Ignatius Tak-Sun Yu
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Correspondence to Ignatius Tak-Sun Yu.

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Chiu, YL., Wang, XR., Qiu, H. et al. Risk factors for lung cancer: a case–control study in Hong Kong women. Cancer Causes Control 21, 777–785 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-010-9506-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10552-010-9506-9

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