IMPACT OF FILTER CIGARETTE-SMOKING ON LUNG-CANCER HISTOLOGY

Background The rates of lung adenocarcinoma cancer have risen more rap idly than the rates of lung squamous cell cancer over the past 2 decad es. Methods. A case-control study was carried out to assess the impact of long-term filter cigarette smoking on the risk of squamous cell ca rcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC) of the lung. Results. Odds ratio s for SCC among subjects who had smoked only filter cigarettes were re duced relative to lifetime nonfilter cigarette smokers by 30% for men and by 60% for women, but no risk reduction was observed for AC of the lung. Conclusion. The predominance of AC over SCC may be due in part to the fact that smokers of very low yield cigarettes tend to compensa te for the lower nicotine levels by inhaling more deeply and frequentl y, leading to greater exposure of the peripheral lung to the carcinoge ns in tobacco smoke, and in part to the increased concentration of nit rosamines that preferentially produce AC in laboratory animals. (C) 19 97 Academic Press.