Wood heating may increase lung cancer risk

The use of wood-burning stoves and fireplaces may be more economical than protective of the environment and our health. It has been associated with an increased risk of certain respiratory problems and an elevated risk of lung cancer.

For the first time, a 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐮𝐝𝐲 on American women has shown that the use of fireplaces and wood-burning stoves 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐲 𝟒𝟑%, compared with those who did not use wood heaters. In addition, 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 for 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝟑𝟎 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬 a year had a 𝟔𝟖% 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐤 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫, even among non-smokers. Wood burning produces 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 that can penetrate deep into the respiratory system, 𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐬.

𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝 may release 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐬𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and benzene, which are known 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐬, suspected of causing lung cancer. According to French public health agency (Santé public France), 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝟒𝟎, 𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐬 in people over the age of 30. Certain individuals with co-morbidities may be more vulnerable to health effects of wood smoke. It would be interesting to repeat this study in the male population too.

Some precautions, like a 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐝𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 may reduce potential health risks.