ArticleBMC cancer2021
Association between heavy metals and colon cancer: an ecological study based on geographical information systems in North-Eastern Iran.
Article in BMC cancer, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 40 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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Who cites it
40 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 110 citations in OpenAlex.
- Heavy metal carcinogenicity: a scoping review of observational & experimental evidence.Frontiers in oncology · 2025Pooled it
- Role of environmental lead in the occurrence of anemia in Indian children: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Environmental science and pollution research international · 2022Pooled it
- Glycemic Regulation and Renal Function by Heavy Metal Exposure: A Cross-Sectional Analysis on Cement Plant Workers.Journal of applied toxicology : JAT · 2026Article
- Gastric cancer susceptibility mapping using GIS and machine learning in East Azerbaijan province, Iran.International journal of health geographics · 2026Article
- Metal accumulation in paired colon cancer and adjacent tissues and its relationship with genotoxic and epigenetic biomarkers.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Incidence rates of tumors in dogs in southern Italy - focus on the Campania region - 2018/2022.Italian journal of food safety · 2025Article
- Health risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in bread from Iranian markets using Monte Carlo simulation.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Heavy metal contamination in unrecorded rakia from Kosovo and its public health implications.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Zinc, copper, copper-to-zinc ratio, and other biometals in blood serum and tumor tissue of patients with colorectal cancer.Biometals : an international journal on the role of metal ions in biology, biochemistry, and medicine · 2025Article
- Social-Environmental Burden Is Associated with Increased Colorectal Cancer Mortality in Metropolitan Detroit.Cancer research communications · 2025Article
- Relationship of modifiable risk factors with the incidence of thyroid cancer: a worldwide study.BMC research notes · 2025Article
- Association Between Chromium and Lead Exposure and Liver Injury Biomarkers Among Adults in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Environmental health insights · 2025Article
- The Effects of Environmental Factors on General Human Health: A Scoping Review.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Human health risk assessment of potentially toxic and essential elements in medicinal plants consumed in Zabol, Iran, using the Monte Carlo simulation method.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Assessment of environmental and health risks of potentially toxic elements associated with desert dust particles affected by industrial activities in Isfahan metropolitan.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Heavy-metal associated breast cancer and colorectal cancer hot spots and their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics.Cancer causes & control : CCC · 2024Article
- Comprehensive approach integrating water quality index and toxic element analysis for environmental and health risk assessment enhanced by simulation techniques.Environmental geochemistry and health · 2024Article
- Heavy metal exposure as a risk factor in oral cancer.Cancer pathogenesis and therapy · 2024Article
- Oxidative Stress in Military Missions-Impact and Management Strategies: A Narrative Analysis.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- The relationship between serum manganese concentration with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a retrospective and population-based cross-sectional study.BMC cardiovascular disorders · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
11 authors at 8 institutions in 3 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundColorectal cancer has increased in Middle Eastern countries and exposure to environmental pollutants such as heavy metals has been implicated. However, data linking them to this disease are generally lacking. This study aimed to explore the spatial pattern of age-standardized incidence rate (ASR) of colon cancer and its potential association with the exposure level of the amount of heavy metals existing in rice produced in north-eastern Iran.
methodsCancer data were drawn from the Iranian population-based cancer registry of Golestan Province, north-eastern Iran. Samples of 69 rice milling factories were analysed for the concentration levels of cadmium, nickel, cobalt, copper, selenium, lead and zinc. The inverse distance weighting (IDW) algorithm was used to interpolate the concentration of this kind of heavy metals on the surface of the study area. Exploratory regression analysis was conducted to build ordinary least squares (OLS) models including every possible combination of the candidate explanatory variables and chose the most useful ones to show the association between heavy metals and the ASR of colon cancer.
resultsThe highest concentrations of heavy metals were found in the central part of the province and particularly counties with higher amount of cobalt were shown to be associated with higher ASR of men with colon cancer. In contrast, selenium concentrations were higher in areas with lower ASR of colon cancer in men. A significant regression equation for men with colon cancer was found (F(4,137) = 38.304, P < .000) with an adjusted R
conclusionIncreased amounts of heavy metals in consumed rice may impact colon cancer incidence, both positively and negatively. While there were indications of an association between high cobalt concentrations and an increased risk for colon cancer, we found that high selenium concentrations might instead decrease the risk. Further investigations are needed to clarify if there are ecological or other reasons for these discrepancies. Regular monitoring of the amount of heavy metals in consumed rice is recommended.
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