TY - JOUR

T1 - Long-term exposure to traffic noise and risk of incident colon cancer

T2 - A pooled study of eleven Nordic cohorts

AU - Roswall, Nina

AU - Thacher, Jesse D

AU - Ögren, Mikael

AU - Pyko, Andrei

AU - Åkesson, Agneta

AU - Oudin, Anna

AU - Tjønneland, Anne

AU - Rosengren, Annika

AU - Poulsen, Aslak H

AU - Eriksson, Charlotta

AU - Segersson, David

AU - Rizzuto, Debora

AU - Helte, Emilie

AU - Andersson, Eva M

AU - Aasvang, Gunn Marit

AU - Gudjonsdottir, Hrafnhildur

AU - Khan, Jibran

AU - Selander, Jenny

AU - Christensen, Jesper H

AU - Brandt, Jørgen

AU - Leander, Karin

AU - Mattisson, Kristoffer

AU - Eneroth, Kristina

AU - Stucki, Lara

AU - Barregard, Lars

AU - Stockfelt, Leo

AU - Albin, Maria

AU - Simonsen, Mette K

AU - Spanne, Mårten

AU - Jousilahti, Pekka

AU - Tiittanen, Pekka

AU - Molnàr, Peter

AU - Ljungman, Petter L S

AU - Yli-Tuomi, Tarja

AU - Cole-Hunter, Thomas

AU - Lanki, Timo

AU - Hvidtfeldt, Ulla A

AU - Lim, Youn-Hee

AU - Andersen, Zorana J

AU - Pershagen, Göran

AU - Sørensen, Mette

N1 - Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Inc.

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - Background Colon cancer incidence is rising globally, and factors pertaining to urbanization have been proposed involved in this development. Traffic noise may increase colon cancer risk by causing sleep disturbance and stress, thereby inducing known colon cancer risk-factors, e.g. obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption, but few studies have examined this. Objectives The objective of this study was to investigate the association between traffic noise and colon cancer (all, proximal, distal) in a pooled population of 11 Nordic cohorts, totaling 155,203 persons. Methods We identified residential address history and estimated road, railway, and aircraft noise, as well as air pollution, for all addresses, using similar exposure models across cohorts. Colon cancer cases were identified through national registries. We analyzed data using Cox Proportional Hazards Models, adjusting main models for harmonized sociodemographic and lifestyle data. Results During follow-up (median 18.8 years), 2757 colon cancer cases developed. We found a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.05 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99-1.10) per 10-dB higher 5-year mean time-weighted road traffic noise. In sub-type analyses, the association seemed confined to distal colon cancer: HR 1.06 (95% CI: 0.98-1.14). Railway and aircraft noise was not associated with colon cancer, albeit there was some indication in sub-type analyses that railway noise may also be associated with distal colon cancer. In interaction-analyses, the association between road traffic noise and colon cancer was strongest among obese persons and those with high NO 2-exposure. Discussion A prominent study strength is the large population with harmonized data across eleven cohorts, and the complete address-history during follow-up. However, each cohort estimated noise independently, and only at the most exposed façade, which may introduce exposure misclassification. Despite this, the results of this pooled study suggest that traffic noise may be a risk factor for colon cancer, especially of distal origin.

AB - Background Colon cancer incidence is rising globally, and factors pertaining to urbanization have been proposed involved in this development. Traffic noise may increase colon cancer risk by causing sleep disturbance and stress, thereby inducing known colon cancer risk-factors, e.g. obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity, and alcohol consumption, but few studies have examined this. Objectives The objective of this study was to investigate the association between traffic noise and colon cancer (all, proximal, distal) in a pooled population of 11 Nordic cohorts, totaling 155,203 persons. Methods We identified residential address history and estimated road, railway, and aircraft noise, as well as air pollution, for all addresses, using similar exposure models across cohorts. Colon cancer cases were identified through national registries. We analyzed data using Cox Proportional Hazards Models, adjusting main models for harmonized sociodemographic and lifestyle data. Results During follow-up (median 18.8 years), 2757 colon cancer cases developed. We found a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.05 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99-1.10) per 10-dB higher 5-year mean time-weighted road traffic noise. In sub-type analyses, the association seemed confined to distal colon cancer: HR 1.06 (95% CI: 0.98-1.14). Railway and aircraft noise was not associated with colon cancer, albeit there was some indication in sub-type analyses that railway noise may also be associated with distal colon cancer. In interaction-analyses, the association between road traffic noise and colon cancer was strongest among obese persons and those with high NO 2-exposure. Discussion A prominent study strength is the large population with harmonized data across eleven cohorts, and the complete address-history during follow-up. However, each cohort estimated noise independently, and only at the most exposed façade, which may introduce exposure misclassification. Despite this, the results of this pooled study suggest that traffic noise may be a risk factor for colon cancer, especially of distal origin.

U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115454

DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115454

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 36764429

VL - 224

JO - Environmental Research

JF - Environmental Research

SN - 0013-9351

M1 - 115454

ER -