Fine dust due to air pollution increases the risk of brain cancer

New research by Canadian scientists shows for the first time the relationship between air-polluting nanoparticles and brain cancer.

Ultrafine particles (UFP) are generated by burning fuel, especially in diesel engines, plus high exposure levels significantly increase the likelihood of fatal cancer.

Research shows that nanoparticles can penetrate the brain and carry cancer-causing chemicals.

Brain cancer is very rare. Scientists have shown that increased pollution exposure can cause an additional one case of brain cancer for every 100,000 people exposed.

Ultrafine particles (UFP) emitted from cars and motorcycles are much more toxic than conventional dust particles.(Photo: Guardian).

New research published in the journal Epidemiology shows that an increase in pollution of 10,000 nanoparticles / cm ³ in a year increases the risk of brain cancer by more than 10%.

"Environmental risks such as air pollution are not large in scale but they are serious because everyone in the polluted environment is exposed , " said Scott Weichenthal, at McGill University, Canada, who led the study. know.

The study analyzed medical records and pollution exposures of 1.9 million adult Canadians between 1991 and 2016. Such large studies provide strong evidence, although no conclusions can be drawn. about the causal relationship.

According to the Guardian, an earlier global review in 2019 concluded that air pollution could harm every organ and almost every cell in the human body .

Toxic air is associated with other effects on the brain, including significant dementia, dementia and mental health issues in both adults and children. The World Health Organization says air pollution is a "silent public health emergency".

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