Background: Greenspace is hypothesized as being protective against cancer, whereas noise pollution and fine particulate matter (<2.5 µm in diameter, PM2.5) are both potential risk factors. Findings from recent studies of greenspace and PM2.5 with prostate cancer are not conclusive and the association between noise exposure and cancer has not been evaluated in a U.S.
Methods: We assessed PM2.5, noise, and greenspace exposure using spatiotemporal models and satellite-based estimates at enrollment addresses for N=43,184 male participants of the prospective Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer (PLCO) Screening Trial cohort (enrolled 1994-2001). We used Cox regression models adjusted for age, race and ethnicity, study center, family history of prostate cancer, and Area Deprivation Index to estimate associations between ambient PM2.5 (µg/m3), greenspace (index range from -1 to 1), and noise pollution (loudest 10% of total existing sound, decibels) and incident prostate cancer risk through December 2017.
Results: A total of 6,327 cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed among male participants during follow-up. PM2.5 and noise exposures were moderately positively correlated (Spearman's rho=0.46), and PM2.5 and greenspace were not correlated (ρ=0.10); greenspace and noise were inversely correlated (ρ=-0.32). In single-pollutant and multipollutant models mutually adjusted for co-exposures, we found no associations with prostate cancer risk.
Conclusion: We did not find evidence that PM2.5, greenspace, and noise pollution were associated with prostate cancer risk in this large, geographically spread cohort.
Impact: This study contributes to a small body of existing literature investigating these biologically plausible associations.