THE PRESENCE OF MUTAGENS CARCINOGENS IN THE EXCISED LUNG AND ANALYSISOF LUNG-CANCER INDUCTION

To elucidate a relationship between lung cancer and tumor induction of environmental chemicals, the presence of 1-nitropyrene (1-NP) and ben zo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) in 137 Japanese (97 male and 40 female), and 21 Ch inese lung specimens was examined by HPLC, and GC-MS and environmental exposure discussed. Mortality due to lung cancer in Fuyuan County, Ch ina, is much higher than that of other cancers. We investigated 21 pat ients who were residents of Fuyuan County. All were female aged 28-64 years and were non-smoking farmers and cooks. The histological feature s of the tumors were adenocarcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and small cell carcinoma. The incidence of cancer was due to inhaling soot from the combustion of coal used for cooking and indoor heating. The polyc yclic aromatic hydrocarbons, chrysene, benzo[k]Fluoranthene, B[a]P, be nzo[g,h,i]perylene and pyrene, but not their nitrated derivatives, wer e detected in substantial amounts in the resected lungs. These mutagen s and carcinogens normally originate in combustion products of coal, a nd are discussed as the possible initiators of the tumors in the lungs of these patients. All the Japanese lung specimens were also obtained from non-smokers. The concentrations of I-NP averaged 21.3 +/- 12.4 a nd 5.9 +/- 2.4 pg/g of Japanese and Chinese samples respectively. The concentrations of B[a]P averaged 180.2 +/- 103.7 and 608.7 +/- 477. t pg/g of Japanese and Chinese samples respectively. Thus, Japanese and Chinese lung specimens were mainly contaminated by I-NP and B[a]P, res pectively. Typical tissues from a carcinomatous human lung were examin ed. The patient was a 64-year-old Japanese male non-smoker and farmer who had raised chickens over a period of 40 years. The histological fe atures of the tumor were those of keratinizing squamous cell carcinoma . 1-Nitropyrene, 1-nitro-3-hydroxypyrene, 1,3-dinitropyrene and chryse ne were detected at concentrations of 0.11, 0.036, 0.095 and 0.16 ng r espectively per gram of lung tissue. This cancer was due to long-term exposure to the combustion products of heavy oil used in a chicken hou se.