Tobacco Documents Online

Koo, L.C., Ho, J.H.-C., Saw, D. and Ho, C.-Y., "Measurements of Passive Smoking and Estimates of Lung Cancer Risk Among Non-Smoking Chinese Females," International Journal of Cancer 39: 162-169, 1987. This case-control study assessed the possible relationship of ETS'and lung cancer risk in nonsmoking Hong Kong women. A total of 88 cases and 137 district- and age-matched controls was included. Housing type, as an indicator of socioeconomic status, was also considered in the matching process. 94% of the cases were histologically verified. Lifetime exposures to ETS in the home and workplace were estimated by questionnaire. The reported RR based on husband's smoking status was 1.64 (95% CI 0.87-3.09). Numerous analyses were presented in this paper. For exposure proxies based on yes/no questions about smoking by cohabitants (husband, childhood or adulthood exposure, or others), none of the adjusted odds ratios was statistically significant at the 5% level. RRs based on husband's smoking habits, or on estimates of lifetime exposure (total years, total hours, mean hours/day, or total cigarettes/day smoked by each household smoker) did not suggest a dose-response relationship. RRs did not increase when such categories as mean hours/day, or earlier age of initial exposure, were combined with years of exposure. The authors do report increased RRs for peripheral, squamous or small-cell tumors in the middle or lower lobes. Confounders were not discussed.