Nested case–control study of telomere length and lung cancer risk among heavy smokers in the β-Carotene and Retinol Efficacy Trial

BACKGROUND: Telomeres protect cells from genomic instability. We examined telomere length and lung cancer risk prospectively in heavy smokers. METHODS: In a nested case–control study with 709 cases and 1313 controls, conditional logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between telomere length (global, chromosome 5p, and 13q) and lung cancer risk by histotype, controlling for detailed smoking history. RESULTS: Risks of overall lung cancer and adenocarcinoma were suggestively elevated among individuals with telomere length in the longest tertile. No clear patterns were observed for other histotypes, or for chromosome 5p or 13q telomere length. Associations with adenocarcinoma were strongest among (OR, 95% CI for longest versus shortest tertile): former smokers (2.26, 1.03–4.96), individuals <65 years (2.22, 1.13–4.35), and women (2.21, 0.99–4.93). CONCLUSIONS: Our large study of heavy smokers adds additional evidence that long telomere length prior to diagnosis is associated with risk of lung adenocarcinoma, but not other histotypes.