Female-specific risk factors for lung cancer: insights from the All of Us Research Program
Islam, Muhammad Rafiqul Siddiqua, Syeda Masuma Islam, Humayera Shahriar, Mohammad Hasan Chowdhury, Muhammad Ashique Haider Tasmin, Saira Konda, Sreenivas Ahsan, Habibul
Islam, Muhammad Rafiqul
Siddiqua, Syeda Masuma
Islam, Humayera
Shahriar, Mohammad Hasan
Chowdhury, Muhammad Ashique Haider
Tasmin, Saira
Konda, Sreenivas
Ahsan, Habibul
Supervisor
Department
Epidemiology
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Journal article
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http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Language
English
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Research Projects
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Abstract
IntroductionLung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in females, with slower declines in incidence compared to males. While smoking is the leading risk factor, it doesn’t fully explain the increasing lung cancer burden in females. Reproductive factors, metabolic disorders, family history, and their interactions may also influence risk; however, these remain poorly understood, particularly across diverse groups. To explore this, we conducted a case-control study using All of Us Research Program data to examine these factors and their association with lung cancer risk in adult females.MethodsUsing de-identified data from the All of Us Research Program, we conducted an age-matched case-control study to investigate the relationship between sociodemographic factors, reproductive history, metabolic disorders, and family history and lung cancer risk in adult females. Cases and controls (n = 5,500) were identified using SNOMED-CT codes with 1:1 matching. We used descriptive statistics, as well as chi-square and t-tests for group comparisons, followed by multivariable logistic regression to adjust for confounders and estimate the odds of lung cancer.ResultsLung cancer patients had a mean age of 67.9 years (SD ± 11.9) and BMI of 28.9 (SD ± 7.1). Most were non-Hispanic Whites (63.4%), followed by non-Hispanic Blacks (14.5%) and Hispanics (12.2%). Overweight females had lower odds (adjusted OR = 0.78, p = 0.0003), while smoking increased the risk (adjusted OR = 1.28, p = 0.0023). Postmenopausal bleeding (adjusted OR = 1.59, p < 0.001) and menopause (adjusted OR = 1.47, p < 0.001) increased the risk, especially in smokers (adjusted OR = 2.65, p < 0.001) and Asian menopausal females (adjusted OR = 2.67, p = 0.04). Hyperlipidemia (adjusted OR = 1.57, p < 0.001) and hypothyroidism (adjusted OR = 1.63, p < 0.001) were significant, with smoking amplifying hyperlipidemia risk (adjusted OR = 1.71, p < 0.001). Risk was also higher in smokers with lung cancer family history (adjusted OR = 1.94, p = 0.03), postmenopausal females with such a history (adjusted OR = 2.10, p = 0.03), and females with breast cancer family history combined with hypothyroidism (adjusted OR = 1.64, p = 0.0038) or postmenopausal bleeding (adjusted OR = 1.82, p = 0.017).ConclusionBeyond smoking, sociodemographic, reproductive, metabolic, and family history factors, along with their interactions, also influence lung cancer risk in females. Identifying these can aid early detection and prevention.
Citation
M.R. Islam, S.M. Siddiqua, H. Islam, M.H. Shahriar, M.A.H. Chowdhury, S. Tasmin , et al., "Female-specific risk factors for lung cancer: insights from the All of Us Research Program," BMC Public Health, 2026, https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-026-27269-5.
Source
BMC Public Health
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Keywords
42 Health Sciences, 4203 Health Services and Systems, 3 Good Health and Well Being
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Source
Publisher
Springer Nature