A Molecular Epidemiological Case-Control Study of Lung Cancer1

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon-DNA adducts were measured by ELISA in peripheral leukocytes from 119 non-small cell lung cancer patients and 98 controls at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center. Thirty-one cases had adduct measurements in leukocytes, lung tumor, and nontumor specimens collected at surgery, and 34 had paired leukocyte and tumor specimens. Information on smoking, diet, and occupational exposure was collected. After adjustment for age, gender, ethnicity, season, and smoking, adducts in leukocytes were significantly higher in cases (P < 0.01) than controls; the odds ratio was 7.7 (95 % confidence interval 1.7-34; P < 0.01). Adducts in leukocytes were increased significantly in smokers and ex-smokers compared to nonsmokers among cases an