FYI - please see forwarded emails below
As you probably know, cadmium (and arsenic) are normally emitted from lead
mining and lead smelting operations.
Elizabeth O'Brien

----- Original Message -----
From: "Nsedu Obot Witherspoon" <nobot@...>
To: <cehnscience@...>
Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 3:04 AM
Subject: [cehnscience] Environmental Exposure To Cadmium Associated With
Increased Cancer Risk


From the OEM List - 1/18/06

Environmental Exposure To Cadmium Associated With Increased Cancer Risk

Category: Cancer/Oncology NewsArticle Date: 17 Jan 2006 - 4am (UK)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=36241
Individuals who are exposed to the metal cadmium in the environmenthave an
increased cancer risk, according to Belgian researchersreporting online
today in The Lancet Oncology. "Cadmium is aubiquitous environmental
pollutant in industrialised countries", saysauthor Dr Jan A Staessen
(University of Leuven, Belgium).
Cadmium has toxic effects and due to its slow half-life accumulates inthe
body over an individual's lifetime. The amount of cadmium that isexcreted in
a person's urine can therefore be used as a biomarker ofexposure. Exposure
occurs through contaminated food or water orinhalation of tobacco smoke or
polluted air. By use of a randompopulation sample of 994 participants from
north-east Belgium,Staessen and colleagues investigated prospectively
whetherenvironmental exposure to cadmium is associated with an increased
riskof cancer, in particular lung cancer.
They recruited participants from an area close to 3 zinc smelters(high
exposure) and compared them with a reference population thatlived in a low
exposure area. Cadmium in urine was measured from1985-89 (baseline) and
incidence of cancer in these individuals wasmeasured until June 30, 2004.
At baseline, the average concentration of cadmium was 12.3 nmol/dayfor those
from the high exposure area compared with 7.7 nmol/day forthose from the low
exposure area. During a median follow up of 17.2years, 50 fatal cancers
(including 18 lung cancers) and 20 non-fatalcancers (including 1 lung
cancer) were identified. Overall cancer riskwas significantly associated
with a doubling of the excretionconcentration of cadmium. This association
remained after accountingfor exposure to inorganic arsenic.
Dr Staessen states "Historical pollution from non-ferrous smelterscontinues
to present a serious health hazard, necessitating targetedpreventive
measures".
Joe Santangeloj.santangelo@...
= - = - = - = - = -
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470204506705459/abstra
ct?isEOP=true
Lancet Oncology Early Online Publication, 16 January 2006
DOI:10.1016/S1470-2045(06)70545-9Environmental exposure to cadmium and risk
of cancer: a prospectivepopulation-based study
Tim Nawrot a, Michelle Plusquin a, Janneke Hogervorst c, Harry ARoels
d, Hilde Celis a, Lutgarde Thijs a, Jaco Vangronsveld c, Etienne Van
Hecke b and Jan A Staessen email address aCorresponding Author
InformationSummary
Background
Cadmium is a ubiquitous environmental pollutant, which accumulates inthe
human body such that 24-h urinary excretion is a biomarker oflifetime
exposure. We aimed to assess the association betweenenvironmental exposure
to cadmium and cancer.
Methods
We recruited a random population sample (n=994) from an area close tothree
zinc smelters and a reference population from an area with lowexposure to
cadmium. At baseline (1985­89), we measured cadmium inurine samples obtained
over 24 h and in the soil of participants'gardens, and followed the
incidence of cancer until June 30, 2004. Weused Cox regression to calculate
hazard ratios for cancer in relationto internal (ie, urinary) and external
(ie, soil) exposure to cadmium,while adjusting for covariables.
Findings
Cadmium concentration in soil ranged from 0·8 mg/kg to 17·0 mg/kg.
Atbaseline, geometric mean urinary cadmium excretion was 12·3 nmol/dayfor
people in the high-exposure area, compared with 7·7 nmol/day forthose in the
reference (ie, low-exposure) area (p<0·0001). Duringfollow-up (median 17·2
years [range 0·6­18·8]), 50 fatal cancers and20 non-fatal cancers occurred,
of which 18 and one, respectively, werelung cancers. Overall cancer risk was
significantly associated with adoubling of 24-h cadmium excretion (hazard
ratio 1·31 [95% CI1·03­1·65], p=0·026. Population-attributable risk of lung
cancer was67% (95% CI 33­101) in the high-exposure area, compared with that
of73% (38­108) for smoking. For lung cancer, adjusted hazard ratio was1·70
(1·13­2·57, p=0·011) for a doubling of 24-h urinary cadmiumexcretion, 4·17
(1·21­14·4, p=0·024) for residence in thehigh-exposure area versus the
low-exposure area, and 1·57 (1·11­2·24,p=0·012) for a doubling of cadmium
concentration in soil.
Interpretation
Historical pollution from non-ferrous smelters continues to present aserious
health hazard, necessitating targeted preventive measures.
Affiliations
a Study Coordinating Centre, Hypertension and CardiovascularRehabilitation
Unit, Department of Cardiovascular Diseases, Universityof Leuven, Leuven,
Belgiumb Social and Economic Geography Section, Department of Geography
andGeology, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgiumc Section of Environmental
Biology, Department of Chemistry, Biologyand Geology, University of Hasselt,
Diepenbeek, Belgiumd Toxicology and Occupational Medicine Unit, Catholic
University ofLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Dr Jan A Staessen,Study
Coordinating Centre, Laboratory of Hypertension, Department ofCardiovascular
Diseases, University of Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg,Herestraat 49 bus 702,
B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
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