The association between long-term PM2.5 exposure and risk for pancreatic cancer: an application of social informatics

作者：Nrupen A. Bhavsar, Kay Jowers, Zidanyue Yang, Sharmistha Guha, Xuan Lin, Sarah B. Peskoe, H. N. McManus, Lisa M. McElroy, Mercedes A. Bravo, Jerome P. Reiter, Eric A. Whitsel, Christopher Timmins · 发表于：American Journal of Epidemiology · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1093/aje/kwae271 · 被引用次数：8 · 研究领域：Air Quality and Health Impacts、Air Quality Monitoring and Forecasting、COVID-19 impact on air quality

There is a profound need to identify modifiable risk factors to screen and prevent pancreatic cancer. Air pollution, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), is increasingly recognized as a risk factor for cancer. We conducted a case-control study using data from the electronic health record (EHR) of Duke University Health System, 15-year residential history, NASA satellite fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and neighborhood socioeconomic data. Using deterministic and probabilistic linkage algorithms, we linked residential history and EHR data to quantify long-term PM2.5 exposure. Logistic regression models quantified the association between a 1 interquartile range (IQR) increase in PM2.5 concentration and pancreatic cancer risk. The study included 203 cases and 5027 controls (median age of 59 years, 62% female, 26% Black). Individuals with pancreatic cancer had higher average annual exposure (9.4 μg/m3) as compared to an IQR increase in average annual PM2.5, which was associated with greater odds of pancreatic cancer (odds ratio = 1.20; 95% CI, 1.00-1.44). These findings highlight the link between elevated PM2.5 exposure and increased pancreatic cancer risk. They may inform screening strategies for high-risk populations and guide air pollution policies to mitigate exposure. This article is part of a Special Collection on Environmental Epidemiology.