Long-term atmospheric exposure to particulate matter and breast cancer risk: findings from a nested case-control study in France
Menée à l'aide de données 1990-2011 de la cohorte française "E3N-Génération" portant sur 5 222 témoins et 5 222 patientes atteintes d'un cancer du sein, cette étude analyse l'association entre une exposition aux particules fines, évaluée à l'aide des concentrations moyennes annuelles estimées de PM10 et de PM2.5 aux adresses résidentielles des participantes, et le risque de cancer du sein
Background: Airborne particulate matter (PM) is a complex mixture of particles thought to be associated with a range of adverse health effects, including female breast cancer. Current evidence on the association between PM and female breast cancer risk is inconsistent.
Methods: This study investigated the association between long-term exposure to PM and breast cancer risk in a nested case-control study within the French E3N-Generation cohort including 5222 breast cancer cases identified over the 1990–2011 follow-up period and 5222 individually matched controls. Annual mean concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 at participants’ residential addresses, were estimated using a land use regression model. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using conditional logistic regression models.
Results: ORs for each 10 µg/m3 increase in the average of PM2.5 and PM10 were 1.14 (95% CI: 0.99–1.30) and 1.08 (95% CI: 0.98–1.18), respectively. When restricted to invasive ductal and lobular carcinomas, ORs were 2.74 (95% CI: 1.05–7.15) for PM2.5 and 2.05 (95% CI: 1.11–3.78) for PM10. Comparable effects of PM exposure estimated by a chemistry transport model reinforces these findings.
Conclusion: This study suggests a potential association between PM2.5 and PM10 exposure and breast cancer risk.
British Journal of Cancer , article en libre accès, 2026