PM_2.5 exposure and cervical cancer survival in Liaoning Province, northeastern China

Particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5 μm or less (PM_2.5) has frequently been reported to be associated with an increased incidence of cancer, but few studies have explored the association between PM_2.5 exposure and cancer survival. We retrospectively analyzed the association between PM_2.5 exposure and the overall survival (OS) of cervical cancer patients residing in 14 urban areas of Liaoning Province, northeastern China, during January 2014-October 2021. Patients from urban areas who completed the recommended treatments with complete follow-up information were included. The PM_2.5 monitoring data of each urban area of Liaoning Province were retrieved, and individual exposure to PM_2.5 after diagnosis was calculated as the average daily concentration in the city of residence from the date of discharge to the date of death or the last follow-up. Log-rank tests and Cox regression were performed to examine the relationship between PM_2.5 exposure and cervical cancer survival. A total of 1753 cervical cancer patients were finally included, among whom 804 (45.9%) were from Shenyang City, the capital of Liaoning Province. The median average daily concentration of PM_2.5 to which the patients were exposed was 45.0 (interquartile range 38.2-50.0) μg/m³. Both log-rank tests (grouped by quartiles, p < 0.001) and Cox regression (continuous, HR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.04-1.08) indicated that PM_2.5 was significantly associated with shorter OS. Sensitivity analysis also confirmed the robustness of our findings. From the subgroup analysis, only the OS of stage II and stage III patients was associated with PM exposure. Our findings provide the insight that PM_2.5 exposure might be associated with shorter OS of cervical cancer patients.