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Women's susceptibility to tobacco carcinogens
Claudia I Henschke1, Olli S Miettinen
1Department of Radiology, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, 525 East 68th Street, New York, NY, USA. chensch@med.cornell.edu
Study Objectives:
To assess lung cancer risk of smoking women relative to that of equally smoking men.
Methods:
The study base was constituted by baseline CT screenings for lung cancer on 1202 women and 1288 men, at least 40 years of age and with at least 10 pack-years of cigarette smoking. The prevalence-odds (incidence-density) ratio contrasting women with men was calculated. Confoundings by age and the particulars of smoking history were controlled in logistic regression analysis.
Results:
For the prevalence-odds ratio contrasting women with men, upon control of age and smoking history, the point estimate was 2.7 and the 95% interval estimate 1.6-4.7. The diagnosed cancers were of equally 'aggressive' types between the two genders.
Conclusions:
At variance with evidence from cohort studies, this evidence from a screening experience calls for further consideration of the hypothesis that women are more susceptible to tobacco carcinogens than are men.