New report links air pollution to increased cancer risk beyond the lungs
Breathing polluted air significantly increases the risk of developing and dying from multiple cancers - including liver and breast cancer - according to a new report calling for stricter air quality standards.
Air pollution is linked to increased overall risk of developing cancer, beyond its impact on the lungs, according to a new report by The Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) and supported by the Clean Air Fund.
The report, which synthesised data from 42 meta-analyses and systematic reviews published between 2019 and 2024, found that air pollution is not only a driver of lung cancer but also significantly increases the risk of multiple other cancers and raises the likelihood of dying from the disease.
“Clean air is not a luxury, it is a fundamental human right – one that underpins health, equity, and sustainable development. Tackling air pollution is not only an environmental priority; it is a cancer prevention strategy, an economic investment, and an act of social justice,” Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and co-chair of Our Common Air, wrote in the publication.
The report found that particulate matter posed the greatest risk. Populations exposed to high levels of PM2.5, compared to those in less polluted environments, face an 11% increase in the overall risk of developing cancer, with the sharpest rises for liver and colorectal, kidney, lung, and bladder cancers.
Long-term exposure to high levels of PM2.5 was also associated with a 12% increase in the overall risk of dying from cancer by 12%, and specifically a 20% higher risk from breast cancer, 14% from liver cancer, and 12% from lung cancer.
Exposure to larger air pollutants (PM10) was linked to a 10% higher overall cancer risk, a 13% increased risk of dying from lung cancer, and 11% increased risk of dying from breast cancer.
Not everyone is affected equally
The report also found that these risks are not shared equally. Women and children are generally more exposed to smoke from solid fuels used for cooking and heating. Women exposed to household air pollution face a 69% higher risk of lung cancer, alongside increased risks of cervical cancer, the authors found.
People living in low- and middle-income countries bear the greatest burden, as they are exposed to higher pollution levels with limited resources to reduce pollution or access to timely cancer care, the report noted.
And the inequality is not limited to lower-income countries. In Europe, a recent study found that the poorest regions are also the most affected by pollution.
“We have made huge strides in reducing deaths from cancer, but polluted air is silently undermining that progress. It is a risk people cannot opt out of, and one that disproportionately affects women, children, and people living in poverty,” said Cary Adams, CEO of UICC.
Need for stronger action
While there is a growing recognition of the link between air pollution and many cancers, the authors called for further coordinated action.
“Further research is still needed to better quantify risks beyond the respiratory system, to understand the impacts of non-particulate pollutants, and biological processes by which air pollution acts on the human body,” Elisabete Weiderpass, executive director at the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC ), wrote in the report.
She added that the cancer community cannot afford to wait for perfect evidence before acting.
“The harms of air pollution are already clear, and the benefits of reducing exposure are well documented across a wide range of health outcomes, including lung cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease, children’s health, and neurocognitive conditions such as dementia,” Weiderpass said.
The report calls for expanding the scientific evidence of air pollution’s impact beyond lung cancer, and for establishing more robust air quality monitoring and standards.
