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Beware of city dwellers, as researchers have found that living near an outdoor artificial light source, such as street lights and neon signs, can increase a resident’s risk of thyroid cancer by 55%.
The illuminating new study on “light pollution” was published Monday in the American Cancer Society journal, Cancer.
A link between breast cancer and nighttime light has already been seen in studies, prompting researchers at the University of Texas at Houston to investigate thyroid cancer, which shares a hormonal boost with breast cancer, under the same artificial lighting conditions.
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Dr Qian Xiao and his team used data provided by the National Institutes of Health and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), from 464,371 adult participants in a 13-year-old diet and health survey that also noted the residences of individuals, and whether or not they developed cancer over time. These biological data were crossed with satellite images to assess the levels of night-time light surrounding the homes and communities of individuals.
Dr Xiao noted that the observational study cannot conclude that nighttime light causes cancer – but said their findings were cause for further research.
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They found 856 cases of thyroid cancer – 384 in men and 472 in women – among survey respondents. By dividing this group into five subgroups based on the light levels in their homes, the scientists found that the highest quintile group was linked to a 55% spike in papillary thyroid cancer, the most common type. current. While the diagnosis of cancer was more common in women, researchers also found that their cancer was less likely to spread than men, who were more likely to have advanced metastatic thyroid cancer.
Dr Xiao and others believe that melatonin, a hormone that promotes healthy sleep, may play a role. Light at night is known to prevent the activation of melatonin during the evening. At the same time, the sleep hormone is also an estrogen modulator, a female reproductive hormone that can be crucial in preventing tumor growth. Additionally, circadian rhythm disturbances have been shown to be a risk factor for other types of cancer.
Dr Xiao noted that the observational study cannot conclude that nighttime light causes cancer – but said their findings were cause for further research.
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“Given the well-established evidence supporting the role of nighttime light exposure and circadian disturbances, we hope our study will motivate researchers to further examine the relationship between nighttime light and cancer and others. diseases, ”Dr Xiao said in a statement. . His research may have an impact on how cities distribute municipal lighting.
“Recently, efforts have been made in some cities to reduce light pollution, and we believe that future studies should assess whether and to what extent these efforts have an impact on human health,” said Dr Xiao.
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