Lung cancer risk and do-it-yourself activities. A neglected risk factor for lung cancer

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between do-it-yourself activities entailing the exposure to carcinogenic substances and the risk of lung cancer.

We pooled individual data from different case-control studies conducted in Northwestern Spain which investigated residential radon and lung cancer. Cases had an anatomopathologically confirmed primary lung cancer and controls were selected at the pre-surgery unit with uncomplicated surgeries. Both cases and controls were older than 30 years with no previous cancer history. All participants were interviewed face-to-face using a specific questionnaire. Painting, model building, furniture refinishing and woodworking or home carpentry were the do-it-yourself activities considered risky due to exposure to carcinogenic agents.

We included 1528 cases and 1457 controls. Practicing do-it-yourself risk activities was more frequent among cases: 16.0% were exposed to carcinogenic exposures during leisure time, compared to 11.8% for controls. The overall adjusted OR for lung cancer risk among individuals who practiced do-it-yourself risk activities, was 1.77 (95% CI: 1.36-2.31); this was 2.17 (95% CI: 1.51-3.11) when the analysis was restricted to individuals who performed these activities for at least 10 years. These risks were greater when the analyses were carried out exclusively among never-smokers, with the respective ORs being 2.04 (95% CI: 1.38-3.01) and 3.10 (95% CI: 1.78-5.40).

These results support the hypothesis that do-it-yourself activities involving exposure to certain carcinogens are associated with an increased risk of lung cancer, both in ever and never-smokers.