BMJ 1996;313:1233-1235 (16 November)

Papers

Avian exposure and risk of lung cancer in women in Missouri: population based case-control study

Michael Cr Alavanja, Ross C Brownson, professor and chair,b Eric Berger, computer scientist,c Jay Lubin, senior biostatistican,a Cecilia Modigh, research assistant d

a Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD 20852, USA Michael Alavanja, senior research epidemiologist, b Department of Community Medicine, School of Public Health, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, MI 63108, USA, c Information Management Services (IMS), Rockville, MD 20904, USA, d University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden

Correspondence to: Dr M C R Alavanja, Epidemiology and Biostatistics Program, National Cancer Institute, Executive Plaza North, Room 430, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the association, previously reported in three European studies, between ownership of pet birds and the risk of lung cancer.
Design: A population based case-control study with a structured questionnaire administered by telephone.
Setting: Missouri, a midwestern state in the United States with a population of about 5 million.
Subjects: All newly diagnosed cases of primary lung cancer in women aged 30-84 years in Missouri from 1 January 1993 to 31 January 1994 reported to the state cancer registry were invited to participate (n = 652); and 629 population based controls.
Main outcome measures: Odds ratios were computed in relation to whether or not the study subject ever kept pet birds, the type of bird kept, and several measures of intensity or duration of exposure. Odds ratios were adjusted for smoking.
Results: The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for the development of lung cancer associated with keeping pet birds was 0.84 (0.65 to 1.09). The results were similar for the type of pet bird kept, the number of birds kept, the location of the bird in the house, and the duration of ownership.
Conclusion: The keeping of pet birds carries no excess risk for the development of lung cancer.

Key messages

  • A population based case-control study of lung cancer among women in Missouri was conducted with detailed questions about the duration of bird ownership, the number and type of birds owned, and where in the home the birds were kept

  • The study in Missouri was larger than previously conducted studies and had extensive information on other risk factors for lung cancer

  • No excess risk was found with any measure of exposure to birds

  • The association previously reported may not be due intrinsically to birds


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This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Fritschi, L. (2000). Cancer in veterinarians. Occup. Environ. Med. 57: 289-297 [Abstract] [Full text]  
  • Holst, P. (1997). Risk of lung cancer needs to be studied in younger patients who keep pet birds. BMJ 314: 1353-1353 [Full text]  
  • Britton, J., Lewis, S. (1996). Pet birds and lung cancer. BMJ 313: 1218-1219 [Full text]  
  • Modigh, C., Axelsson, G., Alavanja, M., Andersson, L., Rylander, R. (1996). Pet birds and risk of lung cancer in Sweden: a case-control study. BMJ 313: 1236-1238 [Abstract] [Full text]  
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