Elsevier

Lung Cancer

Volume 18, Issue 2, October 1997, Pages 137-145
Lung Cancer

Risk factors for lung cancer among women in Poland

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-5002(97)00062-7Get rights and content

Abstract

A total of 118 women with histologically confirmed lung cancer and 141 healthy controls, were involved in a case-control study conducted in Cracow between 1991 and 1994. The aim of this study was to examine of the role of smoking, alcohol consumption, and diet in female lung cancer risk. Multivariate analysis has shown that cigarette smoking was the most strongly active risk factor in female lung cancer. Vodka drinkers showed significantly higher risk than non-drinking women. Frequent intakes of carrots (at least three times a week) significantly lowered the risk. The significant protective effect was also observed in women using margarine on bread. The analysis of dose-response relationship in reference to cigarette smoking, vodka drinking and consumption of carrots also confirmed significant influence of these factors on risk.

Introduction

Lung cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death (9.6% of female cancer death) in women in Poland. The age-adjusted lung cancer mortality rates among females grew from 3.2 per 100 000 population in 1963 to 10.6 per 100 000 population in 1993. The time trend in lung cancer mortality among women shows a rapid increase [22].

It is generally assumed that most lung cancer cases in both men and women are due to smoking. Tobacco smoking is associated with about 57–80% of lung cancer cases in women living in industrialized countries [6].

Tobacco smoking among women in Poland has been strongly increasing since about 1960. In 1995, 42.2% of women of the age group 30–39 years, and 39.6% of women of the age group 40–49 smoked cigarettes every day [23].

In recent years, numerous studies have indicated an elevation in lung cancer risk for nonsmoking women who live with smokers, with a summary excess risk of approximately 30% [4].

Results of an epidemiological study suggest association of diet and alcohol consumption with lung cancer risk 1, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 25.

Occupational exposure and environmental pollution include asbestos, radon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These have been hypothesized as lung cancer risk factors [24].

The objective of the present study was to assess the role of smoking, diet and alcohol consumption in lung cancer risk, in a case-control study of women.

Section snippets

Material and methods

Case subjects were 118 women with newly diagnosed and histologically confirmed primary lung cancer who were admitted to the M. Sklodowska-Curie Memorial Institute in Cracow between 1 March, 1991 and 30 June, 1994.

Squamous-cell carcinoma was predominant type accounting for 37% of all cases, 33% were small-cell cancers, 22% adenocarcinoma, and 8% were mixed and other cell types.

Female controls were 141 healthy women randomly selected from next-of-kin of other patients without tobacco related

Univariate analysis

Place of residence and education were not associated significantly with risk of lung cancer (Table 1).

Table 2 shows the relation of smoking status to lung cancer. The current smokers showed a 7-fold increased risk of lung cancer. The relative risk (RR) among smokers declined markedly with later starting age of smoking and increased markedly with number of cigarettes smoked per day. The results showed also an increased risk in smokers compared to non-smokers for duration of smoking and

Discussion

The results of epidemiological studies conducted in different areas of the world have supported the claim that smoking is the main cause of lung cancer [6].

Results of our study supported also cigarette smoking as the most strongly active risk factor in female cancer.

Multivariate standardization revealed that drinking vodka was after tobacco smoking the second factor significantly influencing cancer risk.

An association between alcohol and lung cancer has not been described consistently in the

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