Latest news with #UllaHvidtfeldt
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Breathing dirty air could raise the risk of a common brain tumour
Breathing in dirty air may not only affect the lungs but also raise the risk of developing a common type of brain tumour, a study has found. Scientists analysed several air pollutants, including those commonly linked to traffic – such as nitrogen dioxide and ultrafine particles which are often found in urban environments. The study, published in the journal Neurology found people exposed to this type of pollution are more likely to develop meningioma – a typically noncancerous brain tumour. 'Various types of air pollution have been shown to have negative effects on health, and ultrafine particles are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier and may directly affect brain tissue,' said study author Dr Ulla Hvidtfeldt at the Danish Cancer Institute in Copenhagen. 'Our study suggests that long-term exposure to air pollution from traffic and other sources may play a role in the development of meningioma and adds to the growing body of evidence that air pollution can affect the brain – not just the heart and lungs.' This common type of brain tumour forms in the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Meningiomas are the most common type of primary brain tumour and make up around one in three of all primary brain and spinal cord tumours in adults in the UK, according to Macmillan. However, the findings do not prove that air pollution causes meningioma; they only show a link between the two. Data from almost 4million adults in Denmark with an average age of 35 were included in the study. The participants were followed over a 21-year period, during which time 16,596 people developed a tumour of the central nervous system including 4,645 who developed meningioma. Using home addresses and advanced modelling researchers were able to estimate long-term exposure to air pollution and calculated a 10-year average exposure to certain pollutants. Researchers looked at exposure to the following: ultrafine particles with particles less than 0.1 micrometers in diameter; fine particulate matter, also called PM2.5, with particles that are 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less; nitrogen dioxide, a gas mostly from traffic emissions; and elemental carbon, a marker of diesel pollution. People in the lowest group had an average 10-year exposure of 11,041 ultrafine particles per centimeter cubed (cm3) compared to people with the highest exposure of 21,715 particles/cm3. Those with the lowest level of exposure were compared to people with the highest. Researchers also adjusted for factors like age, sex, socioeconomic status. The results showed that people with a higher exposure to pollutants had a greater risk of developing meningioma. There was a 10 per cent higher risk for ultrafine particles for every increase of 5,747 particles/cm3, a 21 per cent higher risk for fine particulate matter for every increase of 4.0 micrograms per meter cubed (μg/m3), a 12 per cent risk increase for nitrogen dioxide for every 8.3 μg/m3 and a 3 per cent increase elemental carbon for every 0.4 μg/m3. Researchers did not find a strong link between these pollutants and more aggressive brain tumours.
The Independent
10-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Breathing dirty air could raise the risk of a common brain tumour
Breathing in dirty air may not only affect the lungs but also raise the risk of developing a common type of brain tumour, a study has found. Scientists analysed several air pollutants, including those commonly linked to traffic – such as nitrogen dioxide and ultrafine particles which are often found in urban environments. The study, published in the journal Neurology found people exposed to this type of pollution are more likely to develop meningioma – a typically noncancerous brain tumour. 'Various types of air pollution have been shown to have negative effects on health, and ultrafine particles are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier and may directly affect brain tissue,' said study author Dr Ulla Hvidtfeldt at the Danish Cancer Institute in Copenhagen. 'Our study suggests that long-term exposure to air pollution from traffic and other sources may play a role in the development of meningioma and adds to the growing body of evidence that air pollution can affect the brain – not just the heart and lungs.' This common type of brain tumour forms in the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Meningiomas are the most common type of primary brain tumour and make up around one in three of all primary brain and spinal cord tumours in adults in the UK, according to Macmillan. However, the findings do not prove that air pollution causes meningioma; they only show a link between the two. Data from almost 4million adults in Denmark with an average age of 35 were included in the study. The participants were followed over a 21-year period, during which time 16,596 people developed a tumour of the central nervous system including 4,645 who developed meningioma. Using home addresses and advanced modelling researchers were able to estimate long-term exposure to air pollution and calculated a 10-year average exposure to certain pollutants. Researchers looked at exposure to the following: ultrafine particles with particles less than 0.1 micrometers in diameter; fine particulate matter, also called PM2.5, with particles that are 2.5 micrometers in diameter or less; nitrogen dioxide, a gas mostly from traffic emissions; and elemental carbon, a marker of diesel pollution. People in the lowest group had an average 10-year exposure of 11,041 ultrafine particles per centimeter cubed (cm3) compared to people with the highest exposure of 21,715 particles/cm3. Those with the lowest level of exposure were compared to people with the highest. Researchers also adjusted for factors like age, sex, socioeconomic status. The results showed that people with a higher exposure to pollutants had a greater risk of developing meningioma. There was a 10 per cent higher risk for ultrafine particles for every increase of 5,747 particles/cm3, a 21 per cent higher risk for fine particulate matter for every increase of 4.0 micrograms per meter cubed (μg/m3), a 12 per cent risk increase for nitrogen dioxide for every 8.3 μg/m3 and a 3 per cent increase elemental carbon for every 0.4 μg/m3.
United News of India
10-07-2025
- Health
- United News of India
Exposure to dirty air linked to increased risk of common brain tumor: Study
New Delhi, July 10 (UNI) A recent large-scale Danish study has revealed that ultrafine particles in air pollution can cross the blood-brain barrier and may increase the risk of developing tumors of the central nervous system (CNS), particularly meningiomas --the most common type of primary brain tumor. The findings published in journal Neurology add to growing evidence that air pollution's harmful effects extend beyond respiratory and cardiovascular health, potentially affecting the brain as well. Given the high pollution burden in Indian metropolitan areas such as in Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata, the study's implications are particularly relevant for Indian urban populations. Cities frequently exceed World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for PM2.5 and NO₂, with vehicular emissions, construction activities, and industrial sources contributing significantly to overall pollution levels. The study, which followed nearly four million Danish adults over a period of 21 years, found that individuals with the highest exposure to UFPs and other pollutants—including nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and elemental carbon—had a markedly higher risk of developing meningiomas compared to those with the lowest exposure levels. 'Various types of air pollution have been shown to have negative effects on health, and ultrafine particles are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier and may directly affect brain tissue,' said Dr. Ulla Hvidtfeldt, lead author and researcher at the Danish Cancer Institute in Copenhagen. The study utilised national registries and residential histories to estimate personal exposure to air pollution, and applied advanced modelling techniques to account for both local traffic emissions and broader environmental sources. While no strong associations were identified between pollution and more aggressive brain tumours such as gliomas, the study's findings underscore the broader public health implications of chronic exposure to air pollution. Notably, the study acknowledged certain limitations, including the inability to account for indoor air quality or occupational exposure, both of which could influence an individual's cumulative exposure to pollutants. Experts argue that while more research is required to confirm causal links, these findings offer yet another compelling reason to implement stringent air quality controls. 'If cleaning up our air can help lower the risk of brain tumours, that could make a real difference for public health,' said Dr. Hvidtfeldt.
