| Title: | Precipitation anomalies and all-cause mortality among cancer patients: a UK biobank cohort analysis |
| Journal: | Environmental Sciences Europe |
| Published: | 10 Dec 2025 |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12302-025-01265-9 |
Publication 17247
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Abstract
BackgroundThe long-term impacts of climate change on human health have garnered growing attention, but little is known about the effect of climate change on cancer outcomes. This study aims to investigate the long-term effects of anomalous precipitation on all-cause mortality of cancer patients, based on national multicenter cohort data.MethodsWe conducted a multicenter cohort analysis based on mortality data of 92,638 patients diagnosed with cancer in UK Biobank. For each patient, we calculated the annual average precipitation as well as anomalous precipitation, defined as the deviation from the long-term local average. A multicenter Cox regression model was conducted to estimate the associations between all-cause mortality of cancer patients and average or anomalous precipitation. Based on a varying-coefficient model, we developed a two-dimensional exposure-response function (ERF) linking mortality to both long-term average and anomalous precipitation, to assess heterogeneity across precipitation zones.ResultsEach 0.1 mm/day increase in absolute values of precipitation anomalies was associated with a 5.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4.1%, 6.2%) excess risk of mortality for anomalous wet (positive change in precipitation) or an 8.5% (95% CI 7.3%, 9.6%) excess risk for anomalously dry (negative change in precipitation). The two-dimensional ERF suggested considerably heterogeneous effects of anomalous precipitation on mortality across precipitation zones, reflecting differences in population adaptability to local climates. Anomalous wet conditions were associated with a significant hazard to patients living in both arid and humid zones, whereas anomalous dry conditions were mainly hazardous in arid zones, but protective in humid zones.ConclusionAnomaly in terms of either dry or wet precipitation was associated with an increased risk of mortality of cancer patients. The effect of anomalous precipitation varied across precipitation zone, reflecting capacity of human adaptation to local climate. In the context of global climate change, the potential of regionally adaptive strategies to reduce cancer mortality should be further explored.</p>
4 Authors
- Jingyi Wu
- Chunmiao Zhou
- Pengfei Li
- Luxia Zhang
1 Application
| Application ID | Title |
|---|---|
| 90018 | Environment, genotype, AI-derived phenotype, and the risk of cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, and chronic kidney disease |
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