Long-term residential exposure to fine particulate matter, nitrogen dioxide, and black carbon are positively linked to lung cancer incidence and mortality, with similar risks found across all four jurisdictions under study (England, Norway, Denmark, and Rome). A negative association was found for warm-season ozone.
The authors concluded that, "Our study found positive associations between incident lung cancer and residential exposure...which persisted at pollution levels below the current EU limits. We estimated that up to 31.7% incident lung cancer cases can potentially be prevented by achieving the 2021 WHO [Air Quality Guidelines]."
The lead and corresponding author is Jie Chen of Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands. The study appeared in Environmental Research.
Limitations included an observational study design and a lack of generalisability of results to high levels of exposure to air pollutants.
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was funded by the Cancer Registry of Norway and other sources.