Long-term exposure to wildfire-related PM(2·5) and overall survival of older patients with lung cancer: a retrospective, registry-based cohort study.

Wildfire-related PM2.5 significantly increases mortality risk in older lung cancer patients, with each 1-μg/m3 rise linked to a 7.8% higher death rate.

• Why it matters: Understanding the health impacts of wildfire-derived air pollution is crucial as climate change amplifies wildfire frequency and toxicity, especially for vulnerable populations like lung cancer patients.
• What they did: Researchers analyzed data from over 414,000 lung cancer patients aged 65+ in the SEER-Medicare database (2006-2019), estimating long-term wildfire-related and non-wildfire PM2.5 exposure using spatial models and applying Cox proportional hazards models to assess mortality risk.
• The result: Wildfire-related PM2.5 was found to be more toxic per unit than non-wildfire PM2.5, contributing to an estimated 696 excess deaths annually, highlighting the urgent need for wildfire management and air quality mitigation strategies.