Blood Lead (Pb) Levels as a Possible Marker of Cancer Risk in a Prospective Cohort of Women with Non-Occupational Exposure

<b>Background/Objectives</b>: To correlate blood lead (Pb) levels with cancer risk in a prospective cohort of healthy women with non-occupational exposure to lead. We hypothesize that blood Pb levels can predict the risk of cancer in healthy women. <b>Methods</b>: The study w...

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Main Authors: Krzysztof Lubiński, Marcin R. Lener, Wojciech Marciniak, Jakub Pawłowski, Julia Sadzikowska, Adam Kiljańczyk, Milena Matuszczak, Piotr Baszuk, Sandra Pietrzak, Róża Derkacz, Marta Bryśkiewicz, Cezary Cybulski, Jacek Gronwald, Tadeusz Dębniak, Tomasz Huzarski, Steven A. Narod, Rodney J. Scott, Jan Lubiński
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Biomedicines
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/7/1587
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author Krzysztof Lubiński
Marcin R. Lener
Wojciech Marciniak
Jakub Pawłowski
Julia Sadzikowska
Adam Kiljańczyk
Milena Matuszczak
Piotr Baszuk
Sandra Pietrzak
Róża Derkacz
Marta Bryśkiewicz
Cezary Cybulski
Jacek Gronwald
Tadeusz Dębniak
Tomasz Huzarski
Steven A. Narod
Rodney J. Scott
Jan Lubiński
author_facet Krzysztof Lubiński
Marcin R. Lener
Wojciech Marciniak
Jakub Pawłowski
Julia Sadzikowska
Adam Kiljańczyk
Milena Matuszczak
Piotr Baszuk
Sandra Pietrzak
Róża Derkacz
Marta Bryśkiewicz
Cezary Cybulski
Jacek Gronwald
Tadeusz Dębniak
Tomasz Huzarski
Steven A. Narod
Rodney J. Scott
Jan Lubiński
author_sort Krzysztof Lubiński
collection DOAJ
description <b>Background/Objectives</b>: To correlate blood lead (Pb) levels with cancer risk in a prospective cohort of healthy women with non-occupational exposure to lead. We hypothesize that blood Pb levels can predict the risk of cancer in healthy women. <b>Methods</b>: The study was performed with women registered at the Hereditary Cancer Centre, Szczecin, aged 40 years and above between September 2010 and March 2024. A total of 2927 unaffected women were included in the study. Exclusion criteria were BRCA1 gene mutation, women with diagnosed cancer, and women with occupational exposures to Pb. All patients were asked about their occupational exposure and tested for the three Polish BRCA1 founder mutations (c.5266dupC/5382insC; c.181T > G/300T > G; c.4035delA/4153delA). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to measure blood Pb levels. The study was blinded to all scientists involved, and all samples were assayed in the absence of any knowledge about the clinical status of each participant. <b>Results</b>: There were 239 incident cancers diagnosed in the cohort after an average follow-up of 6 years. Compared to women with the lowest blood Pb concentration, women with higher blood Pb levels had a significantly increased risk of developing any cancer (HR = 1.46; (95% CI: 1.006–2.13; <i>p</i> = 0.046)). The association was stronger for women below the age of 50 years at study entry (HR = 2.59; (95% CI: 1.37–4.89; <i>p</i> = 0.003)). For women over 50 years of age, the results were statistically insignificant. <b>Conclusions</b>: This study suggests that blood Pb levels have the potential to be used as a marker of cancer risk in women under 50 years of age who have no known occupational exposure to this heavy metal. Further investigations using additional groups of women from Poland and other countries are needed for validate these findings.
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spelling doaj-art-dd2583572ed44cd680e6fb036c5a24352025-08-20T03:36:31ZengMDPI AGBiomedicines2227-90592025-06-01137158710.3390/biomedicines13071587Blood Lead (Pb) Levels as a Possible Marker of Cancer Risk in a Prospective Cohort of Women with Non-Occupational ExposureKrzysztof Lubiński0Marcin R. Lener1Wojciech Marciniak2Jakub Pawłowski3Julia Sadzikowska4Adam Kiljańczyk5Milena Matuszczak6Piotr Baszuk7Sandra Pietrzak8Róża Derkacz9Marta Bryśkiewicz10Cezary Cybulski11Jacek Gronwald12Tadeusz Dębniak13Tomasz Huzarski14Steven A. Narod15Rodney J. Scott16Jan Lubiński17International Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, PolandWomen’s College Research Institute, Toronto, ON M5S 1B2, CanadaSchool of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, Centre for Information-Based Medicine, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2305, AustraliaInternational Hereditary Cancer Center, Department of Genetics and Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, ul. Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland<b>Background/Objectives</b>: To correlate blood lead (Pb) levels with cancer risk in a prospective cohort of healthy women with non-occupational exposure to lead. We hypothesize that blood Pb levels can predict the risk of cancer in healthy women. <b>Methods</b>: The study was performed with women registered at the Hereditary Cancer Centre, Szczecin, aged 40 years and above between September 2010 and March 2024. A total of 2927 unaffected women were included in the study. Exclusion criteria were BRCA1 gene mutation, women with diagnosed cancer, and women with occupational exposures to Pb. All patients were asked about their occupational exposure and tested for the three Polish BRCA1 founder mutations (c.5266dupC/5382insC; c.181T > G/300T > G; c.4035delA/4153delA). Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to measure blood Pb levels. The study was blinded to all scientists involved, and all samples were assayed in the absence of any knowledge about the clinical status of each participant. <b>Results</b>: There were 239 incident cancers diagnosed in the cohort after an average follow-up of 6 years. Compared to women with the lowest blood Pb concentration, women with higher blood Pb levels had a significantly increased risk of developing any cancer (HR = 1.46; (95% CI: 1.006–2.13; <i>p</i> = 0.046)). The association was stronger for women below the age of 50 years at study entry (HR = 2.59; (95% CI: 1.37–4.89; <i>p</i> = 0.003)). For women over 50 years of age, the results were statistically insignificant. <b>Conclusions</b>: This study suggests that blood Pb levels have the potential to be used as a marker of cancer risk in women under 50 years of age who have no known occupational exposure to this heavy metal. Further investigations using additional groups of women from Poland and other countries are needed for validate these findings.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/7/1587Pbcancer riskprospective studynon-occupational exposurecarcinogen
spellingShingle Krzysztof Lubiński
Marcin R. Lener
Wojciech Marciniak
Jakub Pawłowski
Julia Sadzikowska
Adam Kiljańczyk
Milena Matuszczak
Piotr Baszuk
Sandra Pietrzak
Róża Derkacz
Marta Bryśkiewicz
Cezary Cybulski
Jacek Gronwald
Tadeusz Dębniak
Tomasz Huzarski
Steven A. Narod
Rodney J. Scott
Jan Lubiński
Blood Lead (Pb) Levels as a Possible Marker of Cancer Risk in a Prospective Cohort of Women with Non-Occupational Exposure
Biomedicines
Pb
cancer risk
prospective study
non-occupational exposure
carcinogen
title Blood Lead (Pb) Levels as a Possible Marker of Cancer Risk in a Prospective Cohort of Women with Non-Occupational Exposure
title_full Blood Lead (Pb) Levels as a Possible Marker of Cancer Risk in a Prospective Cohort of Women with Non-Occupational Exposure
title_fullStr Blood Lead (Pb) Levels as a Possible Marker of Cancer Risk in a Prospective Cohort of Women with Non-Occupational Exposure
title_full_unstemmed Blood Lead (Pb) Levels as a Possible Marker of Cancer Risk in a Prospective Cohort of Women with Non-Occupational Exposure
title_short Blood Lead (Pb) Levels as a Possible Marker of Cancer Risk in a Prospective Cohort of Women with Non-Occupational Exposure
title_sort blood lead pb levels as a possible marker of cancer risk in a prospective cohort of women with non occupational exposure
topic Pb
cancer risk
prospective study
non-occupational exposure
carcinogen
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/13/7/1587
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