The Impact of PM 2.5 on lung cancer - 1252885

tracey59
Posts:41

Dear Dr. West:

The air quality in HK has been quite bad in the last few years, and the reading of PM2.5 and PM10 is much too high in many days of the year (PM2.5 over 50 sp and PM10 sometimes over 100 sp). I am a stage IV NSCLC patient. Would you please advise us on whether the polluted air has caused/will cause more problems for lung cancer patients, and how severe the impact is/will be? Shall lung cancer patients try to live in places where the air quality is better, and will this help their survival?

I am working in HK and the job is quite well-paid; if I am going back to Melbourne I will have to live on my savings, but if that will help my survival I am happy to do so.

Many thanks in advance for your advice.

Best wishes,

Tracey

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Reply # - January 22, 2013, 06:25 AM

Dr West
Posts: 4735

There is no evidence that air quality has any impact on outcomes in people with lung cancer. That isn't to say that it isn't or couldn't be a factor, but there is no evidence to make any recommendations.

-Dr. West

Reply # - January 22, 2013, 05:43 PM

njliu
Posts: 142

Just an observation to share.
While Beijing was very much in the news last week for having air pollution to a scale of 25 times the safety level, I happened to come across a cancer map report in China that shows Beijing has the highest incidence of Lung Cancer across China.
NJ

Reply # - January 23, 2013, 01:43 PM

Dr West
Posts: 4735

Not work that I'm aware of. It's certainly not well publicized. There is probably a fair amount of epidemiologic research on the risk of cancer based on air quality, but I've never seen or heard of anything on air quality and cancer outcomes in people with a known cancer diagnosis. There are also an incredible number of confounding variables: the places with low air quality are likely predominantly larger urban settings where the larger, centralized cancer centers are, and where the doctors have larger volumes of patients with various cancer situations. Consequently, I suspect that there are many interacting variables involved, making it hard to tease apart clear answers.

-Dr. West

Reply # - January 23, 2013, 06:42 PM

ssflxl
Posts: 204

I think that the polluted air is just bad for your lungs - puts you at risk for infection, pneumonia, etc, in addition to causing asthma attacks. That's something that you don't want when you already have lung cancer. In my case, I already have bronchiectasis from radiation, so I don't want to go to Hong Kong to visit relatives just because the air is polluted.

ssflxl

Reply # - January 23, 2013, 08:08 PM

tracey59
Posts: 41

Dear all:

I am also wondering whether wearing a surgerical mask will help?

Tracey

________________________________________________
Never smoker Asian 55 years F. Stage IV NSCLC diagnosed on 30/06/2012; 2.8 cm lesion on RUL with widely-spread nodules on both lungs; GEFR exon 19 deletion; started Iressa on 7/7/2012.

Reply # - January 23, 2013, 08:28 PM

Dr West
Posts: 4735

I think it's just something that is done to make people feel like they're doing something. Again, I don't think there's any evidence that it makes a difference.

-Dr. West

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