Long-term exposure to ambient air pollutants and risk of prostate cancer: A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND

Air pollution has been hypothesized as a potential risk factor for prostate cancer, while previous studies on the topic mainly focused on single pollutant and the results were inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate the association between long-term exposure to multiple air pollutants and the risk of prostate cancer and their joint effect.

METHODS

This study included 210,722 men free of prostate cancer at baseline from the UK Biobank. Data on ambient air pollutants, including particulate matter with diameters ≤2.5 μm (PM2.5), ≤10 μm (PM10), nitrogen oxides (NO2 and NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO2), benzene, and ozone (O3) were collected from the UKs Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affair during 2003-2021.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 10.9 years, a total of 10,841 incident prostate cancer occurred. The hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) of prostate cancer for each interquartile range increase in PM2.5, PM10, NO2, NOx, SO2, benzene and O3 were 1.120 (1.084-1.158), 1.121 (1.089-1.155), 1.040 (1.009-1.071), 1.040 (1.012-1.069), 0.983 (0.958-1.009), 1.080 (1.050-1.111), and 1.080 (1.050-1.111), respectively. The joint effect of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, NOx, SO2, and benzene was 1.039 (1.012-1.067). with the greatest contribution from NOx, PM10, benzene, and PM2.5. The impact of PM2.5, PM10, NO2, NOx and benzene on prostate cancer risk was weakened by a higher percentage of greenness at the home location buffer.

CONCLUSIONS

Long-term exposure to air pollutants may be positively associated with an elevated risk of prostate cancer, particularly for NOx, PM10, benzene, and PM2.5. This study highlights the potential role of comprehensively assessing and controlling various air pollutants in prevention of prostate cancer.