Urinary arsenic profiles and the risks of cancer mortality: A population-based 20-year follow-up study in arseniasis-endemic areas in Taiwan

Journal Article · Mon Apr 15 04:00:00 EDT 2013 · Environmental Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/J.ENVRES.2012.11.007· OSTI ID:22246938

Chung, Chi-Jung ^[1]; Huang, Ya-Li ^[2]; Huang, Yung-Kai ^[3]; Wu, Meei-Maan ^[4]; Chen, Shu-Yuan ^[5]; Hsueh, Yu-Mei ^[2]; Chen, Chien-Jen ^[6]

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1. Department of Health Risk Management, College of Public Health, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan (China)
2. Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China)
3. School of Oral Hygiene, College of Oral Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China)
4. School of Public Health, College of Public Health and Nutrition, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan (China)
5. Department of Public Health, Tzu-Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan (China)
6. Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan (China)

Few studies investigated the association between chronic arsenic exposure and the mortality of cancers by estimating individual urinary arsenic methylation profiles. Therefore, we compared with the general population in Taiwan to calculate the standardized mortality ratio (SMR) in arseniasis-endemic area of Taiwan from 1996 to 2010 and evaluated the dose-response relationships between environmental arsenic exposure indices or urinary arsenic profiles and the mortality of cause-specific cancer. A cohort of 1563 residents was conducted and collected their urine sample and information regarding arsenic exposure from a questionnaire. All-cause death was identified using the National Death Registry of Taiwan. Urinary arsenic profiles were measured using high performance liquid chromatography–hydride generator–atomic absorption spectrometry. We used Cox proportional hazard models to evaluate the mortality risks. In results, 193 all-site cancer deaths, and 29, 71, 43 deaths respectively for liver, lung and bladder cancers were ascertained. The SMRs were significantly high in arseniasis-endemic areas for liver, lung, and bladder cancers. People with high urinary InAs% or low DMA% or low secondary methylation index (SMI) were the most likely to suffer bladder cancer after adjusting other risk factors. Even stopping exposure to arsenic from the artesian well water, the mortality rates of the residents were higher than general population. Finally, urinary InAs%, DMA% and SMI could be the potential biomarkers to predict the mortality risk of bladder cancer. -- Highlights: ► The SMRs were significantly high in arseniasis-endemic areas for liver, lung, and bladder cancers. ► People with high urinary InAs% were the most likely to suffer bladder cancer. ► People with low DMA% or low SMI were the most likely to suffer bladder cancer.

• OSTI ID: 22246938
• Journal Information: Environmental Research, Journal Name: Environmental Research Vol. 122; ISSN ENVRAL; ISSN 0013-9351
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES
ARSENIC
BIOLOGICAL MARKERS
BLADDER
DEATH
DOSE-RESPONSE RELATIONSHIPS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INDEXES
INDIUM ARSENIDES
LIVER
LUNGS
METHYLATION
MORTALITY
NEOPLASMS
TAIWAN
URINE