Arsenic in drinking water and kidney cancer: a systematic review

Abstract Object Arsenic as a chemical is found in rock, soil, air and used in various industries and their products, such as colors, hairs, and fertilizers. Humans may be exposed to arsenic mainly through food and drinking water. Due to its adverse health effects, its presence in drinking water has become a public health concern. Methods In this systematic review, we investigated the relationship between arsenic concentration in drinking water and the risk of kidney cancer in humans. For this reason, various electronic databases were searched from 1992 February to November 2021. In this review, three ecological studies, two case-control studies, and four cohort studies were investigated. Results High levels of arsenic (100 μg/L) have been reported in many countries such as southwest Taiwan, Niigata, Argentine, and northern Chile. A significant relationship was observed between kidney cancer incidence and its mortality rate with high arsenic levels in drinking water. Conclusions Despite the limitations in some previous studies, reviewing and comparing the data of different regions indicates a scientific relationship between kidney cancer incidence and high concentrations of arsenic in drinking water.