Arsenic in drinking-water and risk for cancer in Denmark

TY - JOUR

T1 - Arsenic in drinking-water and risk for cancer in Denmark

AU - Baastrup, Rikke

AU - Sørensen, Mette

AU - Balstrøm, Thomas

AU - Frederiksen, Kirsten

AU - Langtofte Larsen, Carsten

AU - Tjønneland, Anne

AU - Overvad, Kim

AU - Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole Lundsgaard

PY - 2008

Y1 - 2008

N2 - Background: Arsenic is a well-known carcinogen, which is often found in drinking-water. Epidemiological studies have shown increased cancer risks among individuals exposed to high concentrations of arsenic in drinking-water, while studies of the carcinogenic effect of low doses have had inconsistent results. Objective: To determine if exposure to low levels of arsenic in drinking-water in Denmark is associated with an increased risk for cancer. Methods: The study was based on a prospective Danish cohort of 57,053 persons in the Copenhagen and Aarhus areas. Cancer cases were identified in the Danish Cancer Registry, and the Danish civil registration system was used to trace and geocode residential addresses of the cohort members. We used a geographical information system to link addresses with water supply areas and then estimated individual exposure to arsenic using residential addresses back to 1970. Average exposure for the cohort ranged between 0.05 and 25.3 µg/L (mean = 1.2 µg/L). Cox's regression models were used to analyze possible relationships between arsenic and cancer. Results: We found no significant association between exposure to arsenic and risk for cancers of the lung, bladder, liver, kidney, prostate or colorectum or melanom a skin cancer; however, the risk for non-melanoma skin cancer decreased with increasing exposure (IRR = 0.88 per µg/L average exposure; 95% Cl: 0.84-0.94). Results adjusted for enrolment area showed no association with non-melanoma skin cancer. Conclusions: The results indicate that exposure to low doses of arsenic might be associated with a reduced risk for skin cancer.

AB - Background: Arsenic is a well-known carcinogen, which is often found in drinking-water. Epidemiological studies have shown increased cancer risks among individuals exposed to high concentrations of arsenic in drinking-water, while studies of the carcinogenic effect of low doses have had inconsistent results. Objective: To determine if exposure to low levels of arsenic in drinking-water in Denmark is associated with an increased risk for cancer. Methods: The study was based on a prospective Danish cohort of 57,053 persons in the Copenhagen and Aarhus areas. Cancer cases were identified in the Danish Cancer Registry, and the Danish civil registration system was used to trace and geocode residential addresses of the cohort members. We used a geographical information system to link addresses with water supply areas and then estimated individual exposure to arsenic using residential addresses back to 1970. Average exposure for the cohort ranged between 0.05 and 25.3 µg/L (mean = 1.2 µg/L). Cox's regression models were used to analyze possible relationships between arsenic and cancer. Results: We found no significant association between exposure to arsenic and risk for cancers of the lung, bladder, liver, kidney, prostate or colorectum or melanom a skin cancer; however, the risk for non-melanoma skin cancer decreased with increasing exposure (IRR = 0.88 per µg/L average exposure; 95% Cl: 0.84-0.94). Results adjusted for enrolment area showed no association with non-melanoma skin cancer. Conclusions: The results indicate that exposure to low doses of arsenic might be associated with a reduced risk for skin cancer.

KW - Faculty of Science

KW - arsenik

KW - geografisk informations system

KW - drikkevand

KW - kræft

KW - Arsenic

KW - geographical information system

KW - drinking water

KW - cohort study

KW - cancer

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0091-6765

VL - 116

SP - 231

EP - 237

JO - Environmental Health Perspectives

JF - Environmental Health Perspectives

IS - 2

ER -