Blood cadmium levels as a marker for early lung cancer detection

Abstract Background We assessed whether blood cadmium levels were associated with incident lung cancer and could be used in the context of a screening program for early-stage lung cancer. Material and methods We measured blood cadmium levels among 205 lung cancer patients and 205 matched controls. Cases and controls were matched for sex, age and smoking history (total pack-years, years since cessation for former smokers). Results The odds ratio for those in the highest quartile of cadmium level (versus lowest) was four-fold (OR = 4.41, 95% CI:2.01 - 9.67, p  Conclusion Blood cadmium levels may be a marker to help with the early detection of lung cancer among former smokers.