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Visonà SD, Bertoglio B, Favaron C, Capella S, Belluso E, Colosio C, Villani S, Ivic-Pavlicic T, Taioli E. A postmortem case control study of asbestos burden in lungs of malignant mesothelioma cases. J Transl Med 2023; 21:875. [PMID: 38041166 PMCID: PMC10693031 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04761-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Asbestos lung content is regarded as the most reliable tool for causal attribution of malignant mesothelioma (MM) to previous asbestos exposures. However, there is a lack of studies on asbestos burden in lungs of MM patients in comparison with healthy individuals. This study aims to provide such a comparison, investigating, as well, differences in asbestos lung burden with sex and time trends. METHODS Asbestos lung content has been assessed on formalin-fixed lung fragments using scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersion spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) on individuals deceased from MM (cases) and healthy subjects without any lung disease who died from violent causes (controls) between 2005 and 2023. RESULTS Asbestos and asbestos bodies (ABs) were found, respectively, in 73.7% and 43.2% of cases and in 28 and 22% of controls; in MM cases the most represented asbestos types were crocidolite and amosite, whereas in controls it was tremolite-actinolite asbestos. The concentration of both asbestos fibers and ABs was statistically significantly higher in MM cases compared to controls. The mean asbestos fibers width was also significantly higher in cases than controls. Males and females with MM showed similar asbestos and ABs concentrations, but females had higher concentrations of chrysotile, and significantly lower fibers width compared to males. Time trends show that MM lung asbestos concentrations decreased starting in 2011. DISCUSSION The results suggest a correlation between asbestos burden in lungs and MM risk. The different concentration of chrysotile, as well as the different width of asbestos fibers in MM males and females might reflect a sex difference in response of the lung microenvironment to inhaled asbestos. Finally, this study provides the first pathological evidence of the effect of the ban of asbestos use, demonstrating a significant decrease of asbestos lung content after 2011.
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Affiliation(s)
- S D Visonà
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Unit of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
| | - B Bertoglio
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Unit of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - C Favaron
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology "L. Spallanzani", University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - S Capella
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
- Interdepartmental Center for Studies on Asbestos and other Toxic Particulates "G. Scansetti", University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - E Belluso
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Torino, Turin, Italy
- Interdepartmental Center for Studies on Asbestos and other Toxic Particulates "G. Scansetti", University of Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - C Colosio
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Occupational Health Unit, Santi Paolo e Carlo Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - S Villani
- Department of Public Health, Experimental and Forensic Medicine, Unit of Biostatistics and Clinical Epidemiology, Pavia University, Pavia, Italy
| | - T Ivic-Pavlicic
- Institute for Translational Epidemiology and Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - E Taioli
- Institute for Translational Epidemiology and Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The generic term asbestos refers to a group of crystalline mineral silicates that occur naturally in various forms. Because of their properties of strength, heat and electrical resistance and their ability to withstand corrosion by acids and sea water, asbestos was used extensively both in the UK and worldwide. AIMS To provide a historical perspective of this ubiquitous occupational hazard, consider the key changes in UK legislation aimed at improving the management of this occupational health risk and describe the evidence from the scientific literature concerning asbestos and disease. METHODS Original articles, reviews (including reference textbooks) and scientific literature in PubMed and other principal medical science databases, 1960-2014, were searched. Publications by regulatory agencies and by governmental organizations were also considered and included where relevant. RESULTS Asbestos remains the biggest cause of cancer deaths worldwide. For malignant mesothelioma deaths alone, it is estimated that in the UK, between 2015 and 2020, the number of cases will peak at 2500 cases annually. It is not clear whether there is a safe level of asbestos fibres in air. Evidence for the efficacy of health surveillance is lacking. CONCLUSIONS Although the use of asbestos was banned in the UK in 1985 (amosite and crocidolite) and 1999 (chrysotile), it remains a significant occupational risk factor for work-related morbidity and mortality, causing both benign and malignant diseases, often with long latency. Further research is needed regarding exposure levels and health surveillance.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Sen
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK.
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3
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Stayner LT. Para-occupational exposures to asbestos: lessons learned from Casale Monferrato, Italy. Occup Environ Med 2015; 73:145-6. [PMID: 26552696 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2015-103233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2015] [Accepted: 10/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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4
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Roca E, Astoul P. Malignant pleural mesothelioma signs and symptoms. Lung Cancer Manag 2015. [DOI: 10.2217/lmt.15.24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is developed from mesothelial cells and its behavior depends on the degree of pleural invasion and adjacent organs. This extension around the pleural cavity or more unlikely located on a limited area leads to clinical signs as dyspnea, shortness of breath, cough or chest pain. The relationship between asbestos exposure and MPM has been well established. The symptoms of MPM usually appear 30–40 years after exposure to asbestos. Consequently, patients are unaware that the clinical presentation is related to their clinical exposure which happened much earlier in their lives. Clinical manifestations of MPM are usually nonspecific and should not be used alone as diagnostic criteria, even in case of previous asbestos exposure as recommended by the ERS guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Roca
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Pleural Diseases, & Interventional Pulmonology, Hôpital Nord, Marseille, France
| | - Philippe Astoul
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, Pleural Diseases, & Interventional Pulmonology, Hôpital Nord, Marseille, France
- Aix-Marseille University, 58 Boulevard Charles Livon, 13284 Marseille, France
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Kovac V, Dodic-Fikfak M, Arneric N, Dolzan V, Franko A. Fibulin-3 as a biomarker of response to treatment in malignant mesothelioma. Radiol Oncol 2015; 49:279-85. [PMID: 26401134 PMCID: PMC4577225 DOI: 10.1515/raon-2015-0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fibulin-3 is a new potential biomarker for malignant mesothelioma (MM). This study evaluated the potential applicability of fibulin-3 plasma levels as a biomarker of response to treatment and its prognostic value for progressive disease within 18 months. The potential applicability of fibulin-3 in comparison with or in addition to soluble mesothelin-related peptides (SMRP) was also assessed. Patients and methods. The study included 78 MM patients treated at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana between 2007 and 2011. Fibulin-3 levels in plasma samples obtained before treatment and in various responses to treatment were measured with the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results In patients evaluated before the treatment, fibulin-3 levels were not influenced by histopathological sub-types, tumour stages or the presence of metastatic disease. Significantly higher fibulin-3 levels were found in progressive disease as compared to the levels before treatment (Mann-Whitney [U] test = 472.50, p = 0.003), in complete response to treatment (U = 42.00, p = 0.010), and in stable disease (U = 542.00, p = 0.001). Patients with fibulin-3 levels exceeding 34.25 ng/ml before treatment had more than four times higher probability for developing progressive disease within 18 months (odds ratio [OR] = 4.35, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.56–12.13). Additionally, patients with fibulin-3 levels above 34.25 ng/ml after treatment with complete response or stable disease had increased odds for progressive disease within 18 months (OR = 6.94, 95% CI 0.99–48.55 and OR = 4.39, 95% CI 1.63–11.81, respectively). Conclusions Our findings suggest that in addition to SMRP fibulin-3 could also be helpful in detecting the progression of MM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viljem Kovac
- Institute of Oncology Ljubljana, Zaloška cesta 2, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Metoda Dodic-Fikfak
- Clinical Institute of Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Niko Arneric
- Clinical Institute of Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Vita Dolzan
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Institute of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alenka Franko
- Clinical Institute of Occupational Medicine, University Medical Center Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Ferrante D, Mirabelli D, Tunesi S, Terracini B, Magnani C. Pleural mesothelioma and occupational and non-occupational asbestos exposure: a case-control study with quantitative risk assessment. Occup Environ Med 2015; 73:147-53. [PMID: 26265669 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2015-102803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Accepted: 07/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Casale Monferrato (north west Italy) is an area with an exceptionally high incidence of mesothelioma caused by asbestos contamination at work and in the general environment from the asbestos-cement Eternit plant that was operational until 1986. The purpose of this study was to quantify the association between pleural malignant mesothelioma (PMM) and asbestos cumulative exposure using individual assessment of environmental and domestic exposure, as well as of occupational exposure. METHODS This population-based case-control study included cases of PMM diagnosed between January 2001 and June 2006 among residents in the Casale Monferrato Local Health Authority. Population controls were randomly sampled, matched by age and sex to cases. Cumulative exposure was estimated to account for the lifelong exposure history. Analyses were conducted using unconditional logistic regression models adjusting for gender, age at diagnosis and type of interview (direct or proxy respondents). RESULTS 200 PMM cases of 223 eligible cases (89.7%) and 348 (63%) of 552 eligible controls accepted to be interviewed. ORs increased with cumulative exposure index (p<0.0001) from 4.4 (CI 95% 1.7 to 11.3) (<1 f/mL-years) to 62.1 (CI 95% 22.2 to 173.2) (≥10 f/mL-years). Among subjects never occupationally exposed, corresponding ORs were 3.8 (CI 95% 1.3 to 11.1) and 23.3 (CI 95% 2.9 to 186.9) (reference: background level of asbestos exposure). ORs of about 2, statistically significant, were observed for domestic exposure and for living in houses near buildings with large asbestos cement parts. CONCLUSIONS Risk of PMM increased with cumulative asbestos exposure and also in analyses limited to subjects non-occupationally exposed. Our results also provide indication of risk associated with common sources of environmental exposure and are highly relevant for the evaluation of residual risk after the cessation of asbestos industrial use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Ferrante
- Department of Translational Medicine, Unit of Medical Statistics and Cancer Epidemiology, CPO Piemonte and University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Dario Mirabelli
- Unit of Cancer Epidemiology, CPO Piemonte and University of Turin, Turin, Italy Interdepartmental Centre G. Scansetti for Studies on Asbestos and other Toxic Particulates, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Sara Tunesi
- Department of Translational Medicine, Unit of Medical Statistics and Cancer Epidemiology, CPO Piemonte and University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Benedetto Terracini
- Unit of Cancer Epidemiology, CPO Piemonte and University of Turin, Turin, Italy Interdepartmental Centre G. Scansetti for Studies on Asbestos and other Toxic Particulates, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Corrado Magnani
- Department of Translational Medicine, Unit of Medical Statistics and Cancer Epidemiology, CPO Piemonte and University of Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy Interdepartmental Centre G. Scansetti for Studies on Asbestos and other Toxic Particulates, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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Casali M, Carugno M, Cattaneo A, Consonni D, Mensi C, Genovese U, Cavallo DM, Somigliana A, Pesatori AC. Asbestos Lung Burden in Necroscopic Samples from the General Population of Milan, Italy. ANNALS OF OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE 2015; 59:909-21. [PMID: 25878166 DOI: 10.1093/annhyg/mev028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The present study analysed the asbestos lung burden in necroscopic samples from 55 subjects free from asbestos-related diseases, collected between 2009 and 2011 in Milan, Italy. Multiple lung samples were analysed by light microscopy (asbestos bodies, AB) and EDXA-scanning electron microscopy (asbestos fibres and other inorganic fibres). Asbestos fibres were detected in 35 (63.6%) subjects, with a higher frequency for amphiboles than for chrysotile. Commercial (CA) and non-commercial amphiboles (NCA) were found in roughly similar frequencies. The estimated median value was 0.11 million fibres per gram of dry lung tissue (mf g(-1)) for all asbestos, 0.09 mf g(-1) for amphiboles. In 44 (80.0%) subjects no chrysotile fibres were detected. A negative relationship between asbestos mass-weighted fibre count and year of birth (and a corresponding positive increase with age) was observed for amphiboles [-4.15%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -5.89 to -2.37], talc (-2.12%, 95% CI = -3.94 to -0.28), and Ti-rich fibres (-3.10%, 95% CI = -5.54 to -0.60), but not for chrysotile (-2.84%, 95% CI = -7.69 to 2.27). Residential district, birthplace, and smoking habit did not affect the lung burden of asbestos or inorganic fibres. Females showed higher burden only for amphiboles (0.12 versus 0.03 mf g(-1) in males, P = 0.07) and talc fibres (0.14 versus 0 mf g(-1) in males, P = 0.03). Chrysotile fibres were shorter and thinner than amphibole fibres and NCA fibres were thicker than CA ones. The AB prevalence was 16.4% (nine subjects) with concentrations ranging from 10 to 110 AB g(-1) dry, well below the 1000 AB g(-1) threshold for establishing occupational exposure. No AB were found in subjects younger than 30 years. Our study demonstrated detectable levels of asbestos fibres in a sample taken from the general population. The significant increase with age confirmed that amphibole fibres are the most representative of cumulative exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelangelo Casali
- 1.Institute of Forensic Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Carugno
- 2.Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Cattaneo
- 3.Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Dario Consonni
- 4.Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Carolina Mensi
- 4.Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Umberto Genovese
- 1.Institute of Forensic Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Domenico Maria Cavallo
- 3.Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Anna Somigliana
- 5.Centre of Electron Microscopy, Lombardy Environmental Protection Agency (ARPA), 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Cecilia Pesatori
- 2.Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy 4.Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
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Bernstein D, Dunnigan J, Hesterberg T, Brown R, Legaspi Velasco JA, Barrerao R, Hoskins J, Gibbs A. Response to Murray M. Finkelstein, letter to the editor re Bernstein et al: Health risk of chrysotile revisited. Crit Rev Toxicol, 2013; 43(2): 154-183. Crit Rev Toxicol 2014; 43:709-10. [PMID: 23985075 DOI: 10.3109/10408444.2013.826178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Donovan EP, Donovan BL, McKinley MA, Cowan DM, Paustenbach DJ. Evaluation of take home (para-occupational) exposure to asbestos and disease: a review of the literature. Crit Rev Toxicol 2012; 42:703-31. [PMID: 22913651 DOI: 10.3109/10408444.2012.709821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The potential for para-occupational (or "take-home") exposure to a number of chemicals has been recognized for over 60 years. We conducted a literature review in order to characterize reported cases of asbestos-related disease among household contacts of workers occupationally exposed to asbestos. Over 200 published articles were evaluated. Nearly 60 articles described cases of asbestos-related disease thought to be caused by para-occupational exposure. Over 65% of these cases were in persons who lived with workers classified as miners, shipyard workers, insulators, or others involved in the manufacturing of asbestos-containing products, with nearly all remaining workers identified as craftsmen. 98% of the available lung samples of the persons with diseases indicated the presence of amphibole asbestos. Eight studies provided airborne asbestos concentrations during (i) handling of clothing contaminated with asbestos during insulation work or simulated use of friction products; (ii) ambient conditions in the homes of asbestos miners; and (iii) wearing previously contaminated clothing. This review indicates that the literature is dominated by case reports, the majority of which involved household contacts of workers in industries characterized, generally, by high exposures to amphiboles or mixed mineral types. The available data do not implicate chrysotile as a significant cause of disease for household contacts. Also, our analysis indicates that there is insufficient information in the published literature that would allow one to relate airborne asbestos concentrations in a workplace to those that would be generated from subsequent handling of contact with clothing that had been contaminated in that environment. Ideally, a simulation study could be conducted in the future to better understand the relationships between the airborne concentrations in the workplace and the fiber characteristics that influence retention on fabric, as well as the concentrations that can be generated by handling the contaminated clothing by the persons in the home.
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Asbestos Fibre Burden in the Lungs of Patients with Mesothelioma Who Lived Near Asbestos-Cement Factories. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2012; 56:660-70. [DOI: 10.1093/annhyg/mer126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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11
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Neumann V, Löseke S, Tannapfel A. Mesothelioma and analysis of tissue fiber content. Recent Results Cancer Res 2011; 189:79-95. [PMID: 21479897 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-10862-4_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The strong relationship between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure is well established. The analysis of lung asbestos burden by light and electron microscopy assisted to understand the increased incidence of mesothelioma in asbestos mining and consuming nations.The data on the occupational exposure to asbestos are important information for the purpose of compensation of occupational disease No. 4105 (asbestos-associated mesothelioma) in Germany.However, in many cases the patients have forgotten conditions of asbestos exposure or had no knowledge about the used materials with components of asbestos. Mineral fiber analysis can provide valuable information for the research of asbestos-associated diseases and for the assessment of exposure. Because of the variability of asbestos exposure and long latency periods, the analysis of asbestos lung content is a relevant method for identification of asbestos-associated diseases. Also, sources of secondary exposure, so called "bystander exposition" or environmental exposure can be examined by mineral fiber analysis.Household contacts to asbestos are known for ten patients (1987-2009) in the German mesothelioma register; these patients lived together with family members working in the asbestos manufacturing industry.Analysis of lung tissue for asbestos burden offers information on the past exposure. The predominant fiber-type identified by electron microscopy in patients with mesothelioma is amphibole asbestos (crocidolite or amosite). Latency times (mean 42.5 years) and mean age at the time of diagnose in patients with mesothelioma are increasing (65.5 years). The decrease of median asbestos burden of the lung in mesothelioma patients results in disease manifestation at a higher age.Lung dust analyses are a relevant method for the determination of causation in mesothelioma. Analysis of asbestos burden of the lung and of fiber type provides insights into the pathogenesis of malignant mesothelioma. The most important causal factor for the development of mesothelioma is still asbestos exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker Neumann
- German Mesothelioma Register, University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.
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12
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Bitchatchi E, Kayser K, Perelman M, Richter ED. Mesothelioma and asbestosis in a young woman following occupational asbestos exposure: Short latency and long survival: Case Report. Diagn Pathol 2010; 5:81. [PMID: 21162719 PMCID: PMC3012022 DOI: 10.1186/1746-1596-5-81] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2010] [Accepted: 12/16/2010] [Indexed: 05/26/2023] Open
Abstract
A 27-year-old female white-collar worker was diagnosed in 1998 with mesothelioma eight and one-half years following first exposure as a bystander to debris in a site in which asbestos-containing building materials were being dismantled and rebuilding work took place. Prodromal back pain had been present for a year and a half. She underwent extrapleural pneumectomy and received an intrapleural infusion of cisplatin post-operatively. Exposure to asbestos was verified by contemporary reports and lung biopsy, which demonstrated asbestos bodies and microscopic interstitial fibrosis -conforming evidence for asbestosis. The patient is alive and well 12 years after diagnosis and 14 years after onset of symptoms. The combination of an extremely short latency period and long survival following occupational exposure to asbestos dust is unique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Bitchatchi
- Unit of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Braun School of Public Health and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Gube M, Taeger D, Weber DG, Pesch B, Brand P, Johnen G, Müller-Lux A, Gross IM, Wiethege T, Weber A, Raithel HJ, Kraus T, Brüning T. Performance of biomarkers SMRP, CA125, and CYFRA 21-1 as potential tumor markers for malignant mesothelioma and lung cancer in a cohort of workers formerly exposed to asbestos. Arch Toxicol 2010; 85:185-92. [DOI: 10.1007/s00204-010-0580-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2010] [Accepted: 08/12/2010] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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Factors affecting soluble mesothelin related protein levels in an asbestos-exposed population. Clin Chem Lab Med 2010; 48:869-74. [DOI: 10.1515/cclm.2010.165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Moore AJ, Parker RJ, Wiggins J. Malignant mesothelioma. Orphanet J Rare Dis 2008; 3:34. [PMID: 19099560 PMCID: PMC2652430 DOI: 10.1186/1750-1172-3-34] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2008] [Accepted: 12/19/2008] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Malignant mesothelioma is a fatal asbestos-associated malignancy originating from the lining cells (mesothelium) of the pleural and peritoneal cavities, as well as the pericardium and the tunica vaginalis. The exact prevalence is unknown but it is estimated that mesotheliomas represent less than 1% of all cancers. Its incidence is increasing, with an expected peak in the next 10–20 years. Pleural malignant mesothelioma is the most common form of mesothelioma. Typical presenting features are those of chest pain and dyspnoea. Breathlessness due to a pleural effusion without chest pain is reported in about 30% of patients. A chest wall mass, weight loss, sweating, abdominal pain and ascites (due to peritoneal involvement) are less common presentations. Mesothelioma is directly attributable to occupational asbestos exposure with a history of exposure in over 90% of cases. There is also evidence that mesothelioma may result from both para-occupational exposure and non-occupational "environmental" exposure. Idiopathic or spontaneous mesothelioma can also occur in the absence of any exposure to asbestos, with a spontaneous rate in humans of around one per million. A combination of accurate exposure history, along with examination radiology and pathology are essential to make the diagnosis. Distinguishing malignant from benign pleural disease can be challenging. The most helpful CT findings suggesting malignant pleural disease are 1) a circumferential pleural rind, 2) nodular pleural thickening, 3) pleural thickening of > 1 cm and 4) mediastinal pleural involvement. Involvement of a multidisciplinary team is recommended to ensure prompt and appropriate management, using a framework of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, surgery and symptom palliation with end of life care. Compensation issues must also be considered. Life expectancy in malignant mesothelioma is poor, with a median survival of about one year following diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alastair J Moore
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Wexham Park Hospital, Wexham, Slough, Berkshire, UK.
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Park EK, Hannaford-Turner KM, Hyland RA, Johnson AR, Yates DH. Asbestos-related occupational lung diseases in NSW, Australia and potential exposure of the general population. INDUSTRIAL HEALTH 2008; 46:535-540. [PMID: 19088405 DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.46.535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Asbestos is a fibrous silicate which is recognized as causing a variety of lung disorders including malignant mesothelioma of the pleura, lung cancer and asbestosis. Asbestos use has been banned in most developed countries but exposure still occurs under strict regulation in occupational settings and also occasionally in domestic settings. Although the hazards of asbestos are well known in developed countries, awareness of its adverse health effects is less in other parts of the world, particularly when exposure occurs in non-occupational settings. Experience of asbestos use and its adverse heath effects in developed countries such as Australia have resulted in development of expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of asbestos-related diseases as well as in screening and this can be used to help developing countries facing the issue of asbestos exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Kee Park
- Research and Education Unit, Workers' Compensation Dust Diseases Board of NSW, Sydney, Australia
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Park EK, Sandrini A, Yates DH, Creaney J, Robinson BW, Thomas PS, Johnson AR. Soluble mesothelin-related protein in an asbestos-exposed population: the dust diseases board cohort study. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2008; 178:832-7. [PMID: 18583574 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.200802-258oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE Soluble mesothelin-related protein (SMRP) is raised in epithelial-type malignant mesothelioma (MM), but the utility of SMRP in screening for MM is unknown. OBJECTIVES We aimed to evaluate SMRP in an asbestos-exposed cohort. METHODS A total of 538 subjects were studied. Those with elevated SMRP (> or =2.5 nM) underwent further investigation including positron emission tomography/computed tomography. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Mean (+/-SD) SMRP in healthy subjects exposed to asbestos (n = 223) was 0.79 (+/-0.45) nM. Fifteen subjects had elevated SMRP, of whom one had lung cancer, which was successfully resected. Another with lung cancer was undetected by SMRP. No subjects were diagnosed with MM. Mean SMRP in healthy subjects was significantly lower than in subjects with pleural plaques alone (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS This is the first large-scale prospective study of SMRP for screening for malignancy in asbestos-exposed individuals. A high false-positive rate was observed. SMRP seems unlikely to prove useful in screening for MM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Kee Park
- Research and Education Unit, Dust Disease Board, Level 2, 82 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
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Marchevsky AM, Harber P, Crawford L, Wick MR. Mesothelioma in patients with nonoccupational asbestos exposure. Ann Diagn Pathol 2006; 10:241-50. [PMID: 16844568 DOI: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2006.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The specific parameters of nonoccupational asbestos exposures (NOAE) that can distinguish an idiopathic from an asbestos-caused malignant mesothelioma (MM) are controversial. A systematic literature review yielded 1028 cases with this putative association. Only 287 of those reports had a defined single exposure to a household, building occupant, or neighborhood/community asbestos source. The available "evidence" was used to develop semiarbitrary evidence-based causation guideline rules for the assessment of putative associations between MM and NOAE. The rules are classified into class A (tissue burden analysis shows asbestos body counts or fiber counts in lung tissues comparable to MM caused by occupational exposure to asbestos) and classes B to D based on whether certain combinations of NOAE features and MM (evidence) have been described in over 15% (class B), 5% to 15% (class C), and less than 5% (class D) of the patients reviewed. The proposed 4 classes of evidence-based causation guidelines provide a semiarbitrary framework to evaluate the causation of individual MM patients by NOAE based on decreasing levels of currently available evidence. The neoplasms in classes A to C patients are probably caused by NOAE, with decreasing weight of evidence in the 3 groups. There is minimal evidence to support the causation of MM by NOAE in class D patients. There is no evidence or only anecdotal evidence to support a causal association between MM and NOAE in individuals who cannot be classified into any of the 4 classes. Future studies are needed to provide more comprehensive data regarding the association between MM and NOAE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alberto M Marchevsky
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA.
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Pan XL, Day HW, Wang W, Beckett LA, Schenker MB. Residential proximity to naturally occurring asbestos and mesothelioma risk in California. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2005; 172:1019-25. [PMID: 15976368 PMCID: PMC2718408 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.200412-1731oc] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
RATIONALE Little is known about environmental exposure to low levels of naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) and malignant mesothelioma (MM) risk. OBJECTIVES To conduct a cancer registry-based case control study of residential proximity to NOA with MM in California. METHODS Incident MM cases (n = 2,908) aged 35 yr or more, diagnosed between 1988 and 1997, were selected from the California Cancer Registry and frequency matched to control subjects with pancreatic cancer (n = 2,908) by 5-yr age group and sex. Control subjects were selected by stratified random sampling from 28,123 incident pancreatic cancers in the same time period. We located 93.7% of subjects at the house or street level at initial diagnosis. Individual occupational exposure to asbestos was derived from the longest held occupation, available for 74% of MM cases and 63% of pancreatic cancers. Occupational exposure to asbestos was determined by a priori classification and confirmed by association with mesothelioma. MAIN RESULTS The adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence interval for low, medium, and high probabilities of occupational exposures to asbestos were 1.71 (1.32-2.21), 2.51 (1.91-3.30), and 14.94 (8.37-26.67), respectively. Logistic regression analysis from a subset of 1,133 mesothelioma cases and 890 control subjects with pancreatic cancer showed that the odds of mesothelioma decreased approximately 6.3% for every 10 km farther from the nearest asbestos source, an odds ratio of 0.937 (95% confidence interval = 0.895-0.982), adjusted for age, sex, and occupational exposure to asbestos. CONCLUSIONS These data support the hypothesis that residential proximity to NOA is significantly associated with increased risk of MM in California.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-lei Pan
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616-8638, USA
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Henderson DW, Rödelsperger K, Woitowitz HJ, Leigh J. After Helsinki: a multidisciplinary review of the relationship between asbestos exposure and lung cancer, with emphasis on studies published during 1997-2004. Pathology 2005; 36:517-50. [PMID: 15841689 DOI: 10.1080/00313020400010955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Despite an extensive literature, the relationship between asbestos exposure and lung cancer remains the subject of controversy, related to the fact that most asbestos-associated lung cancers occur in those who are also cigarette smokers: because smoking represents the strongest identifiable lung cancer risk factor among many others, and lung cancer is not uncommon across industrialised societies, analysis of the combined (synergistic) effects of smoking and asbestos on lung cancer risk is a more complex exercise than the relationship between asbestos inhalation and mesothelioma. As a follow-on from previous reviews of prevailing evidence, this review critically evaluates more recent studies on this relationship--concentrating on those published between 1997 and 2004--including lung cancer to mesothelioma ratios, the interactive effects of cigarette smoke and asbestos in combination, and the cumulative exposure model for lung cancer induction as set forth in The Helsinki Criteria and The AWARD Criteria (as opposed to the asbestosis-->cancer model), together with discussion of differential genetic susceptibility/resistance factors for lung carcinogenesis by both cigarette smoke and asbestos. The authors conclude that: (i) the prevailing evidence strongly supports the cumulative exposure model; (ii) the criteria for probabilistic attribution of lung cancer to mixed asbestos exposures as a consequence of the production and end-use of asbestos-containing products such as insulation and asbestos-cement building materials--as embodied in The Helsinki and AWARD Criteria--conform to, and are further consolidated by, the new evidence discussed in this review; (iii) different attribution criteria (e.g., greater cumulative exposures) are appropriate for chrysotile mining/milling and perhaps for other chrysotile-only exposures, such as friction products manufacture, than for amphibole-only exposures or mixed asbestos exposures; and (iv) emerging evidence on genetic susceptibility/resistance factors for lung cancer risk as a consequence of cigarette smoking, and potentially also asbestos exposure, suggests that genotypic variation may represent an additional confounding factor potentially affecting the strength of association and hence the probability of causal contribution in the individual subject, but at present there is insufficient evidence to draw any meaningful conclusions concerning variation in asbestos-mediated lung cancer risk relative to such resistance/susceptibility factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas W Henderson
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Flinders University and Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia.
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White ES, Flaherty KR, Carskadon S, Brant A, Iannettoni MD, Yee J, Orringer MB, Arenberg DA. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor and CXC chemokine expression in non-small cell lung cancer: role in angiogenesis and prognosis. Clin Cancer Res 2003; 15:1362-6. [PMID: 12576459 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-08-0360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine whether expression of migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is increased in non-small cell lung cancer, and whether it correlates with angiogenesis and/or prognosis. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We measured vessel density, and levels of MIF, angiogenic CXC chemokines, and vascular-endothelial growth factor (VEGF; by ELISA) in tumor and normal lung tissue from 87 patients after resection of lung cancer. We compared vessel density with levels of MIF, VEGF, or angiogenic CXC chemokines in the corresponding tumor homogenate. Disease-free survival was analyzed in a Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS Levels of MIF in lung cancer demonstrated a bimodal distribution, with some having "normal" values (relative to normal lung tissue) and a second cluster with markedly high values. The increased levels of MIF in lung cancer were statistically significant in both paired and unpaired comparisons (P < 0.05). The strongest correlation of vessel density was with the sum of angiogenic CXC chemokines. MIF correlated very strongly with levels of angiogenic CXC chemokines. Tumors in the high MIF group had a strong correlation between MIF level and vessel density. Risk of recurrence was associated with high levels of glutamic acid-leucine-arginine amino acid motif CXC chemokines, MIF, and/or VEGF in a Cox proportional hazards model. CONCLUSIONS MIF expression in non-small cell lung cancer occurs in a bimodal distribution, and is closely associated with tumor levels of angiogenic CXC chemokines and with vessel density. High levels of tumor-associated CXC chemokines, MIF, or VEGF are associated with risk of recurrence after resection of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric S White
- Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University Of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-0642, USA
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