Residential traffic density and cancer incidence in Amsterdam, 1989-1997

To examine the association between cancer incidence in 1989-1997 in Amsterdam and residential traffic intensity.

We linked data on the daily traffic intensity for individual addresses along the main roads with the population-based regional cancer registry. Information on smoking habits was derived from a smoking survey.

During 1989-1997, 27,157 cancer cases were diagnosed in Amsterdam residents. Using the age group- and sex-specific cancer incidence in the population not residing along the main roads as a reference, the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of the population residing along the main roads was 1.03, (3384 cases), while the 95% confidence interval (CI) included unity (1.00-1.07). For most cancer sites the SIR was close to one, except for gastrointestinal cancer in males (SIR 1.16, CI: 1.04, 1.28), cancer of the respiratory tract in females (SIR 1.13, CI: 0.97, 1.31) and hematological malignancies in adult females (SIR 1.23, CI: 1.04, 1.44). Five cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia were diagnosed in children along the main roads (SIR 2.5, CI: 0.8, 5.9). Smoking habits did not differ between residents along the main roads and those living along other roads.

We found no clear evidence for an association between residence along main roads and the incidence of cancer in adults, but we cannot exclude an association with hematological malignancies in females and children.