Abstract
Prostate cancer occurs more frequently in Blacks than Whites in the United States. A population-based case-control study which investigated the association between tobacco use and prostate cancer risk was carried out among 981 pathologically confirmed cases (479 Blacks, 502 Whites) of prostate cancer, diagnosed between 1 August 1986 and 30 April 1989, and 1,315 controls (594 Blacks, 721 Whites). Study subjects, aged 40 to 79 years, resided in Atlanta (GA), Detroit (MI), and 10 counties in New Jersey, geographic areas covered by three, population-based, cancer registries. No excesses in risk for prostate cancer were seen for former cigarette smokers, in Blacks (odds ratio [OR]=1.1, 95 percent confidence interval [CI]=0.7–1.5) and in Whites (OR=1.2, CI=0.9–1.6), or for current cigarette smokers, in Blacks (OR=1.0, CI=0.7–1.4) and in Whites (OR=1.2, CI=0.8–1.7). Increases in risk were noted for smokers of 40 or more cigarettes per day, among former (OR=1.4, CI=1.0–1.5) and current (OR=1.5, CI=1.0–2.4) smokers. Duration of cigarette use and cumulative amount of cigarette use (pack-years) were not associated with prostate cancer risk for Blacks or Whites. By age, only the youngest subjects, aged 40 to 59 years, showed excess risk associated with current (OR=1.5, CI=1.0–2.3) and former (OR=1.7, CI=1.1–2.6) use of cigarettes, but there were no consistent patterns in this group according to amount or duration of smoking. Risks also were not elevated for former or current users of pipes, cigars, or chewing tobacco, but the risk associated with current snuff use was OR=5.5 (CI=1.2–26.2). This subgroup finding may have been due to chance. The results of the present study may be consistent with a small excess risk for prostate cancer associated with tobacco use, but the lack of consistent findings in population subgroups and the lack of a clear dose-response relationship argue more strongly that no causal association exists. The data do not indicate that the Black-White difference in prostate cancer risk is related to tobacco use.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Miller BA, Hayes RB, Potosky AL, Brawley O, Kaplan R.Prostate. In: Miller BA, Gloeckler Ries LA, Hankey BF, et al, eds.Cancer Statistics Review: 1973–1990. Bethesda, MD, USA: National Cancer Institute 1993, in press.
International Agency for Research on Cancer.Tobacco Smoking. Lyon, France: IARC, 1986;IARC Monogr Eval Carcinog Risks Chem Humans, Vol. 38.
Hsing AW, McLaughlin JK, Schuman LM, et al. Diet, tobacco use, and fatal prostate cancer: results from the Lutheran Brotherhood Cohort Study.Cancer Res 1990;50: 6836–40.
Hsing AW, McLaughlin JK, Hrubec Z, Blot WJ, Fraumeni JF, Jr. Tobacco use and prostate cancer: 26-year follow-up of US Veterans.Am J Epidemiol 1991;133: 437–41.
Honda GD, Bernstein L, Ross RK, et al. Vasectomy, cigarette smoking and age at first sexual intercourse as risk factors for prostate cancer in middle-aged men.Br J Cancer 1988;57: 326–31.
Schuman LM, Mandel J, Blackard C, et al. Epidemiologic study of prostatic cancer: preliminary report.Cancer Treat Rep 1977;61: 326–31.
Matzkin H, Soloway MS. Cigarette smoking: A review of possible associations with benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer.Prostate 1993;22: 277–90.
Ries LAG, Hankey BF, Edwards BK.Cancer Statistics Review: 1973–87. Bethesda, MD, USA: National Cancer Institute, 1990.
Waksberg J. Sampling methods for random digit dialing.J Am Stat Assoc 1978;73: 40–6.
Breslow NE, Day NE.Statistical Methods in Cancer Research, Vol I. The Analysis of Case Control Studies. Lyon, France: International Agency for Research on Cancer 1980; IARC Sci. Pub. No. 82.
Nomura AMY, Kolonel LN. Prostate cancer: A current perspective.Epidemiol Rev 1991;13: 200–27.
Ross RK, Shimuizu H, Paganini-Hill A, Honda G, Henderson BE. Case-control studies of prostate cancer in blacks and whites in southern California.JNCI 1987;78: 869–74.
US Department of Health and Human Services.The Health Consequences of Using Smokeless Tobacco. Bethesda, MD, USA: DHHS, Public Health Service, National Cancer Institute, 1986; NIH Pub. No. 86-2874.
US Department of Health and Human Services.Strategies to Control Tobacco Use in the United States: a Blue-print for Public Health Action in the 1990's. Bethesda, MD, USA: DHHS, Publc Health Service, National Cancer Institute, 1992; NIH Pub. No. 92-3316.
US Department of Health and Human Services.The Health Benefits of Smoking Cessation. A Report of the Surgeon General, 1990. Bethesda, MD, USA: DHHS, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, 1990; DHHS Pub. No. (CDC) 90-8416.
Novotney TE, Warner KE, Kendrick JS, et al. Smoking by blacks and whites: Socioeconomic and demographic differences.Am J Public Health 1988;78: 1187–9.
Kabat GC, Morabia A, Wynder EL. Comparison of smoking habits of blacks and whites in a case-control study.Am J Public Health 1991;81: 1483–6.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This research was performed under contracts: NO1-CP-51090, NO1-CN-0522, NO1-CP-51089, NO1-CN-31022, NO1-CP-51092, and NO1-CN-5227.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hayes, R.B., Pottern, L.M., Swanson, G.M. et al. Tobacco use and prostate cancer in Blacks and Whites in the United States. Cancer Causes Control 5, 221–226 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01830240
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01830240