#AI reads Urine# Heavy metal burden in the urine and cancer risk

The study aimed to assess the association between urinary heavy metal exposure and cancer risk in U.S. adults. Based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) spanning 2009-2018, 7,797 participants were included. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used to detect the concentrations of heavy metals such as cadmium, cobalt, and lead in urine, combined with self-reported cancer history. Through multivariate adjusted regression analyses and other methods, it was found that elevated urinary concentrations of cadmium, cobalt, and lead were significantly associated with an increased risk of cancer, and this association was non-linear (for example, the cancer risk rose rapidly when lead concentration exceeded 0.97 μg/l). Subgroup analyses confirmed that the associations of cadmium and cobalt were not affected by factors like age and gender, while the association of lead was more pronounced in patients with hypertension and diabetes. The study concluded that reducing exposure to urinary heavy metals should be prioritized as a strategy for cancer prevention and control.

Front. Oncol. 15:1545118. doi: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1545118

Youhe Gao

Statement: During the preparation of this work the author(s) used Doubao / AI reading for summarizing the content. After using this tool/service, the author(s) reviewed and edited the content as needed and take(s) full responsibility for the content of the published article.

For earlier AI Reads Urine articles：

https://www.keaipublishing.com/en/journals/advances-in-biomarker-sciences-and-technology/ai-reads-urine/