The association between increases in nitrate in drinking water and colorectal cancer incidence rates in California, USA

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The temporal trend of monthly average concentration of nitrate (mg/l as NO3) in California, USA from 1990 to 2015. Some non−detects (ND) in the time series are reported as 0.000 instead of <0.5 (assuming 0.5 is the detection limit) in the FINDING field. This representation occurs when the laboratory elects to report data that it has detected below the State detection limit (DLR). If these reports derive from the same analyses, it indicates a decision to disclose detected values beneath the detection limit for transparency. In cases of different analyses, the use of either <DLR or ND in the findings is simply a preference of data entry; both terms essentially imply the same result—below detection limit findings

Author: Cisneros, Ricardo; Amiri, Marzieh; Gharibi, Hamed

Description: PURPOSE: The water resources in California are polluted with nitrate (NO3) due to the ever-increasing application of nitrogen-based fertilizers. Considering the potential connection between NO3 in drinking water and the incidence rate of colorectal cancer, this study aims to investigate the association between long-term exposure to NO3 via drinking water and the incidence of colorectal cancer from 2010 to 2015 in California.

METHODS: A total of 56,631 diagnoses of colorectal cancer were recorded from 2010 to 2015. A generalized linear model was used to obtain the risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence interval associated with a 1 mg/l-NO3 increase in NO3 concentration across five latency periods. The potential effect modification by sex, race/ethnicity, and age (>40, 41-64, 65-90, and >90) was explored through stratification.

RESULTS: The association between increases in the concentration of NO3 at lag 0-1, lag 0-5, lag 0-10, lag 0-15, and lag 0-20 (RRs: 1.056 [1.055, 1.058]; 1.066 [1.063, 1.069]; 1.030 [1.028, 1.031]; 1.017 [1.016, 1.018]; 1.035 [1.034, 1.037], respectively) was positively associated with the RR of colorectal cancer. Sex was not found to be a significant modifier. The RRs for Hispanics, Blacks, and other races were greater than those for Whites; the RRs across different age categories were all significantly positive.

CONCLUSION: This study confirms an association between long-term NO3 exposure in drinking water and the incidence of colorectal cancer in California, emphasizing the need for stringent water quality control and public health strategies to address this risk, particularly in vulnerable populations.

Subject headings: Humans; California; Nitrates; Colorectal Neoplasms; Male; Female; Drinking Water; Middle Aged; Incidence; Aged; Adult; Water Pollutants, Chemical; Aged, 80 and over; Environmental Exposure; Risk Factors; California; Colorectal cancer; Disinfection-by-products; Drinking water; Nitrate

Publication year: 2025

Journal or book title: Cancer causes & control: CCC

Volume: 36

Issue: 10

Pages: 1041-1057

Find the full text: https://www.strategian.com/fulltext/Cisneros2025.pdf

Find more like this one (cited by): https://scholar.google.com/scholar?cites=14945093361212324549&as_sdt=1000005&sciodt=0,16&hl=en

Serial number: 4173

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