Air pollution can cause oral cancer
A research finding from the Journal of Investigative Medicine
A recent research work highlights the primary culprit behind the rising incidences of oral cancers. Ministry of Science and Technology (Taiwan) funded researchers unveil the research findings of their work on air pollution can cause oral cancer. The present study makes its way to the Journal of Investigative Medicine.
Oral cancer and the risks associated with it:
- Alternatively known as the mouth cancer (head-neck type of cancer)
- Growth of cancerous tissue in the oral cavity.
- 90 per cent of oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas.
- Associated Risk factors: Smoking tobacco, HPV (human papillomavirus) infection, alcohol consumption and constant betel quid chewing.
- Mostly men (Age group: 30-69 years) are prone to mouth cancer-related deaths.
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Research study highlights: Air pollution can cause oral cancer
The present research team focused on evaluating the effects of air pollution concerning causing mouth cancers.
To initiate with their study, the research team made evaluated the effects of PM2.5 (fine particulate matter present in air).
PM2.5 is either composed of either liquid or solid matter measuring below 2.5 micrometers (diameter).
Familiar with the adverse effects of PM2.5 on the respiratory and cardiovascular system, scientists were curious about its effects when present at higher levels.
Information (about addiction to smoking and chewing quid of betel) from around 482,659 men above 40 years of age was collated.
Further, the researchers obtained information from around Taiwan’s 66 air quality monitoring stations.
Co-relating the participant’s health records, their exposure to PM25 was put forward by a scientist.
Incidences of air pollution linked to oral cancer indicate an increase of around 43 per cent:
The data was collected somewhere between 2012-2013. Approximately 1617 men showed positive results for mouth cancer.
After taking into consideration a range of influencing factors, PM2.5 was associated with the rising incidences of oral cancers. This finding was further followed with the analysis of PM2.5 levels of those below 26.74 ug/m3 to those above 40.37 ug/m3.
It was thus concluded that the higher levels of PM2.5 to be associated with the rise in the uncontrolled development of oral cancers.
Besides, the findings of their present work also highlighted an interconnecting link between the higher ozone levels and disease progression.
Probably, further studies shall be focusing on evaluating the role of individual carcinogenic components of PM2.5 (e.g. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals and so on).
Due to their lower dimensions, it is possible for the human body to absorb these particulate matters easily.
On a concluding note, the present research findings are still unclear about the amounts of PM2.5 entering our mouth.
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