Impact of Environmental Carcinogens on Cancer Incidence: Long-term Exposure to Air Pollutants, Pesticides, and Industrial Chemicals as Cancer Risk Factors

Abstract

Background: Environmental carcinogens, including air pollutants, pesticides, and industrial chemicals, are increasingly recognized as significant contributors to cancer incidence worldwide. However, their independent role in cancer development in the Indian population remains underexplored.

Objective: To assess the association between long-term exposure to environmental carcinogens and cancer incidence in a hospital-based population.

Methods: A case–control study was conducted across three tertiary care hospitals in Central India between 2022 and 2024. A total of 250 newly diagnosed, histologically confirmed cancer patients and 250 age- and sex-matched non-cancer controls were enrolled. Data on socio-demographic factors, lifestyle habits, and environmental exposures were collected using a structured questionnaire. Exposures to air pollutants, pesticides, and industrial chemicals were categorized based on occupational history, residential proximity, and duration of contact. Logistic regression was performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), adjusting for smoking, alcohol, and socio-economic status.

Results: Exposure to environmental carcinogens was significantly higher among cases compared to controls. Air pollutant exposure (46.8% vs. 21.6%, OR=3.12, 95% CI: 2.05–4.75), pesticide exposure (39.2% vs. 17.2%, OR=3.05, 95% CI: 1.94–4.81), and industrial chemical exposure (28.0% vs. 10.4%, OR=3.40, 95% CI: 1.99–5.83) were independently associated with increased cancer risk. Multivariate analysis confirmed these associations after adjusting for confounders. Lung, head and neck, gastrointestinal, and hematological malignancies were most strongly linked to environmental exposures.

Conclusion: Long-term exposure to air pollutants, pesticides, and industrial chemicals substantially increases cancer risk. Public health policies focusing on pollution control, pesticide regulation, and occupational safety are essential to reduce environmentally induced cancers.