Air Pollution, Including Ultrafine Particles, Linked to Meningiomas
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, July 14, 2025 -- Air pollution, including ultrafine particles (UFP), may be associated with developing meningiomas, according to a study published online July 9 in Neurology.
Ulla A. Hvidtfeldt, from the Danish Cancer Institute in Copenhagen, and colleagues examined the possible relationship between air pollution exposure, including UFPs, and tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) in a cohort study including all Danish adults aged 20 years and older identified from nationwide registries since 1991.
Data were included for 3,959,619 adults and 16,596 cases of CNS tumors. The researchers found that 10-year mean exposure to UFPs, fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and elemental carbon (EC) was associated with the risk for developing meningioma, with confounder-adjusted hazard ratios (95 percent confidence intervals) of 1.10 (1.05 to 1.16), 1.21 (1.10 to 1.34), 1.12 (1.07 to 1.18), and 1.03 (1.00 to 1.05) per interquartile range for UFPs, PM2.5, NO2, and EC, respectively. Air pollution from both local traffic and other sources could be influential. For other CNS groups, the corresponding hazard ratios were not significant.
"While research on the health effects of ultrafine particles is still in its early stages, these findings point to a possible link between traffic-related ultrafine particle exposure and the development of meningioma," Hvidtfeldt said in a statement. "More research is needed to confirm these results, but if cleaning up our air can help lower the risk of brain tumors, that could make a real difference for public health."
Abstract/Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted July 2025
Read this next
Study Offers Comprehensive Evaluation of Survival Parameters for Pediatric CNS Tumors
MONDAY, Aug. 4, 2025 -- The survival probabilities of pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors in Europe have been explored in a study published in the August issue of The...
Green Space Exposure in Pregnancy, Early Childhood May Cut Risk for Neurodevelopmental Disorders
TUESDAY, July 29, 2025 -- Living near green spaces before and during pregnancy, as well as in early childhood, may lower the risk for neurodevelopmental disorders, according to a...
AAP Offers Guidance for Genetic Evaluation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders
MONDAY, June 30, 2025 -- In a clinical report issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics and published online June 23 in Pediatrics, guidance is provided for the pediatrician...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.