WCLC 2025 - Posters & ePosters-P3.01.32 Association of Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter, Ozone, and Greenness With Lung Cancer Risk

P3.01.32 Association of Long-Term Exposure to Fine Particulate Matter, Ozone, and Greenness With Lung Cancer Risk

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This population-based case-control study investigated the association between long-term exposure to air pollution—specifically fine particulate matter (PM2.5), ozone (O3)—and greenness (measured by normalized difference vegetation index, NDVI) with lung cancer risk in Korea. The study included 7,155 lung cancer patients and 28,620 matched controls from the National Sample Cohort National Health Insurance Service, spanning 2002 to 2019. Individual exposure levels were based on residential regions.<br /><br />Key baseline characteristics indicated similar age and sex distribution between cases and controls, with lung cancer patients showing higher smoking rates, lower body mass index, and lower household income. Exposure measurements showed mean PM2.5 at 29.01 μg/m3, O3 at 34.79 ppb, and NDVI at 0.16.<br /><br />Statistical analyses using Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for confounders (age, gender, smoking status, income, residential area, BMI, and comorbidity index) revealed that long-term exposure to ozone was significantly associated with increased lung cancer risk across subgroups. PM2.5 exposure showed only a modest and inconsistent association. Notably, higher greenness exposure (NDVI) was linked to a protective effect, reducing lung cancer risk.<br /><br />Subgroup analysis highlighted that ozone exposure elevated risk notably in never smokers and current smokers, while PM2.5’s effect was modest and less consistent. High NDVI levels correlated with decreased lung cancer risk across sex and smoking status categories.<br /><br />In conclusion, this study suggests that prolonged ozone exposure significantly increases lung cancer risk, while greenness provides a protective benefit. The findings underscore the importance of targeted environmental policies to improve air quality and expand green spaces as strategies to mitigate lung cancer risk in the population.

Asset Subtitle

Jin Hwa Lee

Meta Tag

Speaker Jin Hwa Lee

Topic Risk Factors, Risk Reduction & Tobacco Control

Keywords

lung cancer

air pollution

PM2.5

ozone

greenness

NDVI

case-control study

Korea

environmental exposure

risk factors