[Atmospheric air pollution and lung cancer: epidemiologic data]

Much has been written about the short term effects of air pollution on health. In contrast, long term effects, which may be highly significant such as lung cancer, have been addressed in only a few cohort studies.

Long term effects of air pollution on mortality have been evaluated in three American and three European prospective cohort studies. These studies consistently demonstrate associations between ambient fine particulate air pollution and elevated risks of both cardiopulmonary and lung cancer mortality. They indicate that diesel exhaust especially contributes to the human lung cancer burden.

Although long-term health effects of air pollution are of relatively small magnitude at the individual level when compared to that of tobacco smoking, their consequences are considerable in terms of public health.