Arsenic in drinking-water and risk for cancer in Denmark
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Arsenic in drinking-water and risk for cancer in Denmark. / Baastrup, Rikke; Sørensen, Mette; Balstrøm, Thomas; Frederiksen, Kirsten; Langtofte Larsen, Carsten; Tjønneland, Anne; Overvad, Kim; Raaschou-Nielsen, Ole Lundsgaard.
In: Environmental Health Perspectives, Vol. 116, No. 2, 2008, p. 231-237.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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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
VL - 116
SP - 231
EP - 237
JO - Environmental Health Perspectives
JF - Environmental Health Perspectives
SN - 0091-6765
IS - 2
ER -
ID: 2827430