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Meta-Analysis
. 2024 Sep;37(7):1779-1790.
doi: 10.1007/s40620-024-01984-x. Epub 2024 Jun 24.

Air pollution and kidney cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Lina Dahman  1   2 , Victoria Gauthier  3   4 , Aurore Camier  5 , Jean Joel Bigna  6 , François Glowacki  7 , Philippe Amouyel  3   4 , Luc Dauchet  3   4 , Aghiles Hamroun  8   9
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

Air pollution and kidney cancer risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Lina Dahman et al. J Nephrol. 2024 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Although several risk factors of kidney cancer have already been well-addressed, many remain underappreciated, such as chronic exposure to air pollution. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the association between air pollutant exposure and the risk of kidney cancer.

Methods: With an exhaustive search equation including keywords related to air pollution and kidney cancer on EMBASE, PubMed, Web of science, Cochrane Library and CINAHL database, we identified all relevant articles published before March 23rd, 2023 (Prospero registration number: CRD42020187956). Using random-effects meta-analysis, we present pooled hazard ratios (with their respective 95% confidence interval) associated with a 10 µg/m3 increase in each pollutant level. Heterogeneity was quantified by the I2 statistic. Risks of methodological and publication bias were also both assessed using appropriate tools.

Results: Of the 1919 records identified, our review included 19 articles (13 cohort, 5 registry-based and 1 case-control studies), of which 9 were suitable for the meta-analysis. We found a significantly increased risk of kidney cancer incidence for a 10 μg/m3 elevation of both particulate matter of less than 10 µm (PM10) (HR = 1.29 [1.10; 1.51], I2 = 0%, p = 0.002) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) (HR = 1.10 [1.03; 1.18], I2 = 20%, p = 0.004). Secondary analyses also suggest an increased risk of kidney cancer-related morbidity-mortality associated with PM10 exposure.

Conclusions: Overall, our findings suggest a potential association between exposure to increased levels of PM10 and NO2 and the risk of kidney cancer. These results should nonetheless be interpreted with caution due to the limited number of included studies and their significant risk of methodological bias.

Keywords: Air pollution; Kidney cancer; Nitrogen dioxide; Particulate Matter.

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Conflict of interest statement

None of the authors have any conflict of interest to declare regarding the content of this manuscript.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Association between PM10 exposure and the risk of kidney cancer incidence. CI confidence interval, df degrees of freedom, SE standard error
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Association between NO2 exposure and the risk of kidney cancer incidence. CI confidence interval, df degrees of freedom, SE standard error
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Association between PM10 exposure and the risk of kidney cancer-related morbidity/mortality (hospitalization or death). CI confidence interval, df degrees of freedom, SE standard error
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Association between NO2 exposure and the risk of kidney cancer-related morbidity/mortality (hospitalization or death). CI confidence interval, df degrees of freedom, SE standard error
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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