Long-term exposure to widespread drinking water chemicals, blood inflammation markers and colorectal cancer
Year: 2019
Type: conference-abstract
Abstract: OPS 25: Drinking water contamination and adult health, Room 411, Floor 4, August 26, 2019, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM Background/aim: Trihalomethanes (THMs) and nitrate are prevalent chemical contaminants in drinking water that have been associated with colorectal cancer but mechanisms of action are not well understood. We aim to identify immune system markers in the pathway between exposure to THMs and nitrate in drinking water and colorectal cancer risk. Methods: A subset of 198 colorectal cancer cases and 205 controls part of the multicase-control study MCC-Spain were included (enrolment 2007-2013). Average concentration of THMs (chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, bromoform) and nitrate was estimated based on the residence since age 18 until 2 years before the interview (“long term”) and for the last year before the interview (“short term”), as well as concentrations in drinking water through routine monitoring records. Exposure through ingestion was estimated based on type of water consumed. We measured a panel of immune markers including IL-1rA, IL-8, IL-17E, IP-10, EGF, VEGF, MDC, MPO, G-CSF, eotaxin, and periostin through Luminex and C-reactive protein (CRP) through ELISA. We used linear regression to estimate the association between inflammation markers and 10μg/l increase in exposure among controls, and logistic regression to estimate the association between the inflammation markers and colorectal cancer adjusting for covariates (age, sex, study area, education, smoking, body mass index) and plate. Results: Long-term exposure to drinking water contaminants was not associated with inflammation markers. Short-term THM levels were positively associated with IL-8, IL-17E and EGF (q-value 0.014, 0.023, 0.008, respectively). Ingested brominated and total THMs were positively associated with these same inflammation markers. No associations were identified for nitrate. VEGF and IL-1ra were positively associated with colorectal cancer (OR=1.38, 1.10-1.75; and 1.37, 1.05-1.81, respectively) while CRP was negatively associated (OR=0.82, 0.77-0.88). Conclusions. We did not identify inflammation markers in the pathway between THM/nitrate exposure and colorectal cancer.
Source: Environmental Epidemiology
Institutions: Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Municipal Institute for Medical Research, Barcelona Institute for Global Health, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Hospital del Mar Research Institute, Utrecht University, Universidad de León, Universidad de León, Biogipuzkoa Health Research Institute, Universidad de Cantabria, Instituto de Investigación Marqués de Valdecilla, Imperial College London
Language: English
Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,200
OpenAlex ID: W2981752907