Smaller particular matter, larger risk of female lung cancer incidence? Evidence from 436 Chinese counties

BACKGROUND: Many studies have reported the effects of PM(2.5) and PM(10) on human health, however, it remains unclear whether particular matter with finer particle size has a greater effect. OBJECTIVES: This work aims to examine the varying associations of the incidence rate of female lung cancer with PM(1), PM(2.5) and PM(10) in 436 Chinese cancer registries between 2014 and 2016. METHODS: The effects of PM(1), PM(2.5) and PM(10) were estimated through three regression models, respectively. Mode l only included particular matter, while Model 2 and Model 3 further controlled for time and location factors, and socioeconomic covariates, respectively. Moreover, two sensitivity analyses were performed to investigate the robustness of three particular matte effects. Then, we examined the modifying role of urban-rural division on the effects of PM(1), PM(2.5) and PM(10), respectively. RESULTS: The change in the incidence rate of female lung cancer relative to its mean was 5.98% (95% CI: 3.40, 8.56%) for PM(1), which was larger than the values of PM(2.5) and PM(10) at 3.75% (95% CI: 2.33, 5.17%) and 1.57% (95% CI: 0.73, 2.41%), respectively. The effects of three particular matters were not sensitive in the two sensitivity analyses. Moreover, urban-rural division positively modified the associations of the incidence rate of female lung cancer with PM(1), PM(2.5) and PM(10). CONCLUSIONS: The effect on the incidence rate of female lung cancer was greater for PM(1), followed by PM(2.5) and PM(10). There were positive modifying roles of urban-rural division on the effects of three particular matters. The finding supports the argument that finer particular matters are more harmful to human health, and also highlights the great significance to develop guidelines for PM(1) control and prevention in Chinese setting. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-12622-1.