LUNG-CANCER AND CIGARETTE-SMOKING IN WOMEN (RESULTS OF A CASE CONTROL STUDY)

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  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 176  (4) , 329-338
Abstract
Smoking habits of 297 female lung cancer patients (Kreyberg I: 202 and Kreyberg II: 95 [KI and KII]) and 580 controls were analyzed. In addition, tar exposures (TE) were calculated. Calculation of TE includes amount of consumption, duration and the tar yields of all cigarette brands ever smoked. There are significantly more smokers among patients (63%) and patients with a KI tumor (80%) compared to the controls (21%) and KII tumor patients (29%). All patients and patients with a KI tumor had a significantly longer smoking career (39.3 yr and 39.6 yr, respectively) and a higher TE (1767 and 1810, respectively) compared to the controls (31.9 yr, TE = 1146) and KII tumor patients (37.4 yr, TE = 1508). Lung cancer risks [R] (adj. [adjusted] for TE) and population attributable risks (PAR) were: all age groups (R = 7.3, PAR = 54%); < 40 yr (R = 1.1, PAR = 3%); 41-50 yr (R = 4.2, PAR = 42%); 51-60 yr (R = 7.6, PAR = 62%); 61-70 yr (R = 7.8, PAR = 54%); > 71 yr (R = 8.0, PAR = 55%). Lung cancer risks (adj. for age) in relation to TE and attributable risks (AR) were: TE < 500 [all cases R = 1.5, AR = 34% (KI R = 2.9, KII R = 0.8)]; TE 501-1000 [all cases R = 42, AR = 76% (KI R = 9.9, KII R = 1.1)]; TE 1001-2000 [all cases R = 12.1, AR = 92% (KI R = 27.2, KII R = 2.6)]; TE 2001-3000 [all cases R = 11.1, AR = 91% (KI R = 25.2, KII R = 2.0)]; TE > 3001 [all cases R = 13.0, AR = 92% (KI R = 29.3, KII R = 3.3)]. There is a significant increase of risk of cigarette smokers beyond a TE of 501, which could be identified as a sort of critical exposure. There is a pronounced dose response relationship between cigarette smoking in relation to TE and lung cancer risk with KI tumors but not KII tumors. Lung cancer risks in relation to age-began-smoking are: < 19 yr, R = 7.8; .gtoreq. 19 yr, R = 6.5.