Incident Cases of Lung Cancer (Code ICD-O C340-C349) Clinical Trial
Official title:
Chronic Exposure to Arsenic and Risk of Lung Cancer Among Residents in the Province of Viterbo, Central Italy.
Aim of the study was to assess any associations between chronic exposure by drinking water to
Arsenic and onset of lung cancer, using a retrospective cohort study design.
Incident cases of lung cancer from 1st January 2006 to 31st December 2012, recorded by
Viterbo Cancer Registry, occurring during the period, were considered as primary outcome.
People residing in municipalities with Arsenic drinking water concentrations over legal
threshold (10 µg/L) were considered as exposed.
Arsenic and its compounds were classified as human carcinogens by IARC, because of their role
in the onset and the progression of several neoplasms: liver, lung, bladder, prostate and
skin cancer. If many studies shed to light on the existence of a strong association between
As and cancer at chronic exposure to high metalloid concentrations (>150 µg/L), much remains
to be clarified on the effects of low-moderate exposure, such as those occurring in Italy.
The aim of this retrospective cohort study is to focus on the role of Arsenic in the
pathogenesis of lung cancer, as one of the most impacting neoplasms in terms of incidence and
prevalence (40.000 new diagnoses in Italy in 2017), in Viterbo Province, central Italy.
Because of its high toxicity and its ubiquitous distribution, that earned the metalloid the
first in the Priority list by ATSDR, thus being a main issue in Public Health.
Materials and Methods From 1st January 2006 to 31st December 2012 all the inhabitants,
residing in one of the 60 municipalities of Viterbo Province (around 320,279 people) were
enrolled. Incident cases of lung cancer, recorded by Viterbo Cancer Registry, occurring
during the period, were considered as primary outcome. People residing in municipalities with
Arsenic drinking water concentrations over legal threshold (10 µg/L), as provided by Arpa
Lazio, were considered as exposed.
Risk difference in developing lung cancer among exposed and not exposed was estimated by
Relative Risk (RR) and Attributable Risk (AR).
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