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1/8/2009
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| All cases of pleural malignant mesothelioma occurring in Tuscany were
collected, backdated to 1980 (to 1970 for the
provinces of Florence and Prato; to 1975 for the provinces of Pisa
and Siena), in order to evaluate the incidence of
occupational exposure to asbestos. The aim was to enhance primary
prevention in those workplaces still at risk nowadays. To
achieve information on the possible occupational, domestic or
environmental exposure, an interview was conducted using a
semi-structured questionnaire. An exposure classification was
produced to focus preventive intervention. This surveillance
system needs to be developed to contribute to epidemiological
research, especially on the effects of low level exposures, and to
primary prevention.
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Med Lav 1997 Jul-Aug;88(4):302-9 |
| Following the finding of an unexpected cluster of mesotheliomas in
textile workers, a surveillance system of malignant
mesotheliomas was implemented in the region of Tuscany, Italy. This
article reports on the investigation of 124 cases of
mesothelioma diagnosed and reviewed by the Institutes of Morbid
Anatomy and Histopathology at the Universities of Florence,
Pisa, and Siena between 1970 and 1988. A complete occupational and
asbestos exposure history was assessed through a
semi-structured questionnaire directly administered to resident cases
of Tuscany or, if deceased, to their closest living relatives,
for a total of 100 interviews. The hypothesis of past occupational
asbestos exposure was verified and documented.
Seventy-two cases have been classified as occupationally exposed to
asbestos; four were classified in the category of possible
domestic exposure to asbestos. For two others, the role of other
risk . |
| A case-control study on pleural malignant mesothelioma (MM) was
conducted in Casale Monferrato, where the largest Italian
asbestos cement (AC) factory had been operating from 1907 to 1985. In
a previous study we observed a five to seven-fold
increase in the incidence of MM among people living in that city and
never employed in the factory mentioned. The present
study includes cases of MM with histological diagnosis over the
period 1.1.1987-30.6.1993 among residents in the Local
Health Unit (LHU) of Casale Monferrato. Population controls were
randomly extracted from the list of the residents in the
LHU, matched to cases on , date of birth, vital status and date of
death. Cases and controls (or their closest relative) were
interviewed with a standardised questionnaire focusing on asbestos
exposure in the (life-long) residential and occupational
histories and in leisure time activities as well as on occupational
a. |
| The authors briefly reviewed the literature concerning the risk
factors for primary pleural tumors in humans. The results from the
most relevant studies emphasize the fact that the large majority of
mesotheliomas are associated with exposure to asbestos or
asbestiform fibers. Exposure to asbestos is mainly through industrial
use, and mesotheliomas result from occupational,
para-occupational, or environmental exposure. Fibers of crocidolite,
amosite, and chrysotile appear to be, in descending order,
more carcinogenic for pleural tissues. The authors summarize the
available data on consumption of asbestos and
asbestos-based products in Italy. The chrysotile-asbestos mine in
Balangero (Piedmont) stimulated the industrial production of
asbestos-cement; asbestos has been largely sprayed among shipyards
and user for insulating railroad coaches and carriages.
Italy had the greatest consumption of crocidolite in Europe, whi. |
| In stating that a threshold of effect has never been found for asbestos, Rall
stands behind the outdated one fiber can kill theory of carcinogenesis.
However, Rall fails to mention data supporting a threshold for chrysotile in
lung cancer (11, asbestosis (12), and mesothelioma (13) as well as a panel
report from the Health Effects Institute-Asbestos Research (HEI-AR) detailing
animal and in vitro dose-response studies exhibiting no-observed adverse effect
levels (NOAELs) for asbestos (14). Our recent work documents a dose-dependent
increase in asbestos-induced proto-oncogene activation in mesothelial cells with
no induction at lowest concentrations of fibers tested and an enhanced potency
of crocidolite asbestos in comparison to chrysotile (15). |
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