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Tobacco smoke load and non-lung cancer mortality associations in Austrian and German males

Tabakrauchlast und Nicht-Lungen-Krebssterblichkeit von Männern in Österreich und Deutschland

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Zusammenfassung

Diese Studie versucht, den Anteil der Krebssterblichkeit in Österreich (1967–2006) und Deutschland (1973–2006) abzuschätzen, der nicht die Lunge betraf und mit Tabakrauch assoziiert war. Die dem aktiven und passiven Rauchen attribuierte Fraktion (smoking attributable fraction – SAF) wurden jährlich aus den nationalen Sterblichkeitsraten an Lungenkrebs für Männer aller Altersklassen berechnet. In beiden Ländern fand sich eine fast perfekt lineare Korrelation zwischen der Mortalität an Lungenkrebs und an anderen Krebsarten: in Österreich mit einem R 2 von 0,95 und einem Anstieg von 1,86 (95 % Konfidenzintervall 1,71–1,99) und in Deutschland mit einem R 2 von 0,94 und einem Anstieg von 1,77 (95 % Konfidenzintervall 1,60–1,93). Nach Korrektur für Autokorrelation ergab sich 2006 in Österreich eine SAF von 61 % (Sensitivitätsbereich 45–70 %) und in Deutschland eine SAF von 61 % (Sensitivitätsbereich 41–75 %). Die Ähnlichkeit der Ergebnisse entspricht der bis vor kurzem ähnlich schlechten Tabakkontrolle in beiden Ländern. Da 61 % der Krebs-Sterblichkeit mit der Tabakrauchlast assoziiert sind, sollten sich Krebspräventionsprogramme in Österreich und Deutschland auf die Tabakkontrolle konzentrieren.

Summary

The millstone around the neck of tobacco control in Europe has been the influence of the tobacco industry on the governments of German speaking countries. This study attempts to estimate non-lung cancer mortality attributable to smoking in Austria during 1967–2006 and in Germany during 1973–2006. National estimates of the annual smoking-attributable fractions (SAF) were calculated for all ages in males, using lung cancer mortality rates as indicators of "tobacco smoke load" associated with cancer from active and passive smoking. In both countries non-lung cancer rates showed a nearly perfect linear correlation with lung cancer rates (R 2 = 0.95 in Austria and 0.94 in Germany) with a slope of 1.86 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.71–1.99) in Austria and 1.77 (95% CI: 1.60–1.93) in Germany. In 2006 SAF of male cancer mortality for all ages were 61% in Austria (sensitivity range [SR]: 45%–70%) without autocorrelation and 61% in Germany (SR: 41–75%), if adjusted for possible autocorrelation. The similarity of the results is in line with the poor tobacco control measures in both countries until recently. Cancer prevention programs in Austria and Germany should focus on tobacco control, because 61% of male cancer mortality was associated with tobacco smoke load.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Preventive Medicine, Institute of Environmental Health, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Livia Borsoi & Manfred Neuberger

  2. Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, USA

    Bruce Leistikow

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  1. Livia Borsoi
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  2. Bruce Leistikow
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  3. Manfred Neuberger
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Correspondence to Manfred Neuberger.

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Borsoi, L., Leistikow, B. & Neuberger, M. Tobacco smoke load and non-lung cancer mortality associations in Austrian and German males. Wien Klin Wochenschr 122, 698–703 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-010-1487-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00508-010-1487-x

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