Researchers reveal that while stricter air quality policies are cutting pollution-related cancer deaths in the U.S., Japan, and South Korea, China’s persistently high rates and global aging trends mean the worldwide burden is projected to climb.

Study: PM2.5-Related Burden of Tracheal, Bronchial, and Lung Cancer in China, the United States, Japan, and South Korea (1990-2021). Image credit: oneinchpunch/Shutterstock.com

A recent study in the International Journal of Public Health evaluated the tracheal, bronchial, and lung (TBL) cancer burden associated with fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution in many countries.

Air Pollution And Its Impact On Public Health

Rapid global industrialization has significantly impacted the economy and substantially increased air pollution, primarily driven by industrial activities, such as fossil fuel combustion in transportation, agricultural production, and construction.This increase in air pollution has significantly impacted public health worldwide.

According to previous research, air pollution is linked with approximately seven million premature deaths annually. It also contributes to over 3% of the global disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost.

Pm comprises naturally occurring or human-made components like dust, ash, and soot. Pm can induce systemic inflammation and trigger epigenetic alterations, increasing the risk of various diseases.

Due to its small size, Pm_2.5 can remain in the air for a prolonged period and penetrate deep into the lungs. Pm_2.5 includes ambient particulate matter pollution (apm) from vehicle exhaust, industrial emissions, and construction activities. It may also emerge from the incomplete combustion of solid fuels used in households. Previous studies have associated Pm_2.5 exposure with the growth and progression of Tbl cancers.

The United States,China,Japan,and South Korea are four major global economies with distinct environmental policies,urbanization patterns,and industrialization trends. A previous study highlighted a connection between the economic development of these countries and a important increase in disease burdens attributable to Pm_2.5 exposure, including those related to Tbl. Therefore, it is essential to understand the disease burden incurred by Pm_2.5.

About The study

The current study assessed the Daly and mortality burdens of Tbl cancers associated with Pm_2.5 exposure from 1990 to 2021 using the Global Burden of Disease (Gbd) 2021 study data. Gbd provides detailed epidemiological estimates for 371 diseases and injuries across 204 countries and territories, stratified by age and sex. DisMod-Mr 2.1,a Bayesian meta-regression tool,was used to evaluate the risk of bias for each data source.

The trends in mortality and Daly burdens of Tbl cancers linked to Apm pollution between 1990 and 2021 were assessed using joinpoint regression analysis. The effect of age, period, and cohort on health outcomes was predicted using the Age-period-cohort model.

Study Findings

in comparison to Japan, South Korea, and the United States, China demonstrated a significantly higher age-standardized mortality rate (Asmr) of Tbl cancer between 1990 and 2021, which has been linked with Pm_2.5 exposure. A declining global trend in the Asmr of Tbl cancer attributable to Pm_2.5 exposure was found with the Aapc of −1.2811. Similar downward trends were also seen in the age-standardized Daly rate (Asdr), reflecting reductions not only in deaths, but also in years of healthy life lost.

In line with the global trend, China, Japan, South Korea, and the Us also indicated downward trajectories in the Asmr of Tbl cancer linked to Pm_2.5 exposure. No significant difference in the effect of pm_2.5 exposure was observed between males and females.

A steady trend was observed in the global Asmr of Tbl cancer attributable to exposure to household air pollution from solid fuels (Hap). However, the Asmr for females increased with an Aapc of 1.1691, while males revealed a decreasing trend with an Aapc of −0.3264.

A considerable variation in the Asmr of Tbl cancer attributable to Hap exposure was observed. In China, an increase in the Asmr of Tbl cancer attributable to Hap was estimated between 1990 and 2015, followed by a decrease from 2016 to 2020, which again rose after 2020 with an overall Aapc of 3.3234. In contrast, South Korea, Japan, and the United States exhibited a consistent decline in Hap-related mortality rates.

Globally, the Asmr of Tbl cancer attributable to Apm exposure showed a generally declining or stable trend. In China, the Asmr was consistently higher than the global average but followed a downward trajectory rather than an increase. Similarly, the Asmr of Tbl cancer attributable to Pm_2.5 exposure in China was significantly higher than the global average. There was no significant difference in these trends between males and females.

A decreasing trend in the mortality burden of Tbl cancer attributable to Pm_2.5 was observed across all age groups in china and the United States. In Japan and South Korea, the mortality burden of Tbl cancer attributable to Hap exposure decreased