Rectal Cancer Mortality and Total Hardness Levels in Taiwan's Drinking Water

Abstract

The possible association between the risk of rectal cancer and hardness levels in drinking water from municipal supplies was investigated in a matched case-control study in Taiwan. All eligible rectal cancer deaths (986 cases) of Taiwan residents from 1990 through 1994 were compared with deaths from other causes (986 controls), and the hardness levels of the drinking water used by these residents were determined. Data on water hardness throughout Taiwan were collected from Taiwan Water Supply Corporation (TWSC). The control group consisted of people who died from other causes and the controls were pair matched to the cases by sex, year of birth, and year of death. The results show a significant negative relationship between drinking water hardness and rectal cancer mortality. Odds ratio and 95% confidence intervals were 1.24 (1.01-1. 55) and 1.38 (1.10-1.73), respectively, for exposure to moderately hard water and soft water compared with the use of hard water. Trend analyses showed an increasing odds ratio for rectal cancer with decreasing levels of hardness in drinking water. This is an important finding for the Taiwan water industry and human health.

Concentrations of inorganic elements in bottled waters on the Swedish market

“…A significant negative relationship between drinking water hardness and rectal cancer mortality has been observed in a case-control study in Taiwan (Yang et al 1999b). In a similar study an approximately 40% excess risk of mortality from esophageal cancer was found in relation to the use of soft water (Yang et al 1999c).…”

Human health risk assessment of temporal and spatial variations of ground water quality at a densely industrialized commercial complex at Haridwar, India

“…Rather, drinking water calcium plays a key role in a number of physiological functions like suppression of neuromuscular excitability, myocardial function, heart and muscle contractility, intracellular information transmission and blood coagulation (Kozisek, 2005). Consequently, the outcome of numerous cohort studies recommended that water hardness may protect against many diseases particularly against cardiovascular diseases (Yang et al, 1996), cerebrovascular diseases (Yang et al, 1998), cancer of esophagus (Yang et al, 1999c), cancer of pancreas (Yang et al, 1999d), cancer of rectum (Yang et al 1999e) and breast cancer (Yang et al, 2000). Drinking water calcium has also proven to be statistically significant in reducing the risk for pre-term birth and low birth weight (Yang et al, 2002).…”

Tumor-promoting activity of p-hydroxybenzenediazonium is accelerated in Mg-deficient rats

“…Various aspects of this issue have been investigated and discussed, including the possible impact of magnesium deficiency on the incidence of tumors, disturbed magnesium homeostasis in many tumor cells and the influence of either depletion or intake of magnesium on the progression of existing tumors [38]. Nevertheless, epidemiological studies relating Mg-deficiency to bladder, prostate, and rectal cancers [39][40][41] refer to long-term deficiency. The absence of histological evidence of any skin complaints in the untreated Mg-deficient rats used in our study indicates that 5 weeks' Mg deprivation is not related to the observed cell alterations.…”