Early-life exposure to small particle air pollution and outdoor artificial light at night could increase the risk of paediatric thyroid cancer, a new study led by researchers at Yale University in the US has suggested.

The team found a “significant association” between exposure to ambient fine particulate matter air pollution (PM2.5) and outdoor artificial light at night (O-ALAN) and increased risk of papillary thyroid cancer in children and young adults up to 19 years old, according to the study published in Environmental Health Perspectives.