2026-2028 | Stichting tegen Kanker
Environmental determinants including ambient air pollution and access to urban green space are increasingly recognized as key contributors to population health. While both exposures are associated with multiple health outcomes, their relationship with cancer risk remains insufficiently understood. Ambient air pollution, particularly fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), is a well-established carcinogen, linked through pathways including oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and direct DNA damage. Urban green spaces may exert protective effects via indirect mechanisms such as pollution mitigation, heat reduction, stress recovery, and promotion of physical activity and social cohesion. However, empirical evidence on green space and cancer is inconsistent, partly due to heterogeneity in exposure definitions, measurement methods, and contextual factors. This project investigates associations between residential environmental indicators, green space quantity and quality, and ambient air pollution levels, and cancer incidence in Belgium, focusing on eight cancer types selected for mechanistic plausibility regarding both exposures. Individual socioeconomic position (SEP) will be incorporated to address potential confounding. By disentangling the independent and combined contributions of these environmental factors, the study aims to provide real-world evidence, strengthening our understanding of causal pathways and highlighting actionable spatial planning and public health strategies in densely populated European settings.
