Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Ppublish 15 citations
PubMed: 36883836 DOI: 10.1289/EHP11391
Long-Term Exposure to Nitrate and Trihalomethanes in Drinking Water and Prostate Cancer: A Multicase-Control Study in Spain (MCC-Spain).
Environ Health Perspect 131(3):37004
Authors: Carolina Donat-Vargas, Manolis Kogevinas, Gemma Castaño-Vinyals, Beatriz Pérez-Gómez, Javier Llorca, Mercedes Vanaclocha-Espí, Guillermo Fernandez-Tardon, Laura Costas, Nuria Aragonés, Inés Gómez-Acebo, Victor Moreno, Marina Pollan, Cristina M Villanueva
Affiliations
- Instituto de Salud Global de Barcelona (ISGlobal), Barcelona, Spain.
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain.
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain.
- Unit of Cardiovascular and Nutritional Epidemiology, Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain.
- Cancer and Environmental Epidemiology Unit, National Centre for Epidemiology, Carlos III Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain.
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Cantabria, Spain.
- Cancer and Public Health Area, Foundation for the Promotion of Health and Biomedical Research-Public Health Research (FISABIO), Valencia, Spain.
- Health Research Institute of Asturias (ISPA), Oviedo, Spain.
- Cancer Epidemiology Research Programme, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain.
- Epidemiology Section, Public Health Division, Department of Health of Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
- Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla (IDIVAL), Santander, Spain.
- Unit of Biomarkers and Susceptibility, Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.
- Colorectal Cancer Group, IDIBELL, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Nitrate and trihalomethanes (THMs) in drinking water are widespread and are potential human carcinogens.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the association between drinking-water exposure to nitrate and THMs and prostate cancer.
METHODS
During the period 2008-2013, 697 hospital-based incident prostate cancer cases (97 aggressive tumors) and 927 population-based controls were recruited in Spain, providing information on residential histories and type of water consumed. Average nitrate and THMs levels in drinking water were linked with lifetime water consumption to calculate waterborne ingestion. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using mixed models with recruitment area as random effect. Effect modification by tumor grade (Gleason score), age, education, lifestyle, and dietary factors was explored.
RESULTS
Mean () adult lifetime waterborne ingested nitrate (milligrams per day), brominated (Br)-THMs (micrograms per day), and chloroform (micrograms per day) were 11.5 (), 20.7 (), and 15.1 () in controls. Waterborne ingested nitrate vs. was associated with an OR of 1.74 (95% CI: 1.19, 2.54) overall, and 2.78 (95% CI: 1.23, 6.27) for tumors with Gleason scores . Associations were higher in the youngest and those with lower intakes of fiber, fruit/vegetables, and vitamin C. Waterborne ingested THMs were not associated with prostate cancer. Residential tap water levels of Br-THMs and chloroform showed, respectively, inverse and positive associations with prostate cancer.
CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest long-term waterborne ingested nitrate could be a risk factor of prostate cancer, particularly for aggressive tumors. High intakes of fiber, fruit/vegetables and vitamin C may lower this risk. Association with residential levels but not ingested chloroform/Br-THM may suggest inhalation and dermal routes could be relevant for prostate cancer. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP11391.
MeSH
Chloroform, Environment, Risk, Vitamins, Prostate, Fruit, Nitrates, Prostatic Neoplasms, Genes, Mcc, Vegetables, Environmental Health, Trihalomethanes, Drinking Water
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- Research Recommendations for Selected IARC-Classified Agents: Impact and Lessons Learned. Environ Health Perspect, 2023
- Exposure to Drinking Water Trihalomethanes and Risk of Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Epidemiologic Evidence and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis. Environ Health Perspect, 2025
- Groundwater denitrification using electro-assisted autotrophic processes: exploring bacterial community dynamics in a single-chamber reactor. Front Bioeng Biotechnol, 2025
- Surface-Water Nitrate Exposure to World Populations Has Expanded and Intensified during 1970-2010. Environ Sci Technol, 2023
- Assessing the toxic potency of absorbed trihalomethanes in leafy vegetables: the effects of different Chlorine pretreatment. J Environ Health Sci Eng, 2025