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1/8/2009
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| A series of 421 malignant pleural mesotheliomas, diagnosed in the
Trieste-Monfalcone area, northeastern Italy, were reviewed.
A large majority of the patients had been employed in naval work
(shipbuilding, maritime trades, and dock work). Latency
periods (time intervals between first exposure to asbestos and
death), showed wide variations from one occupational category
to another. Such variations were attributable, but only partly, to
differences in the intensity of the exposure to asbestos. Various
family cases were identified, including people with and without blood
relationships. The data, obtained in the studies on
Trieste-Monfalcone mesothelioma, suggest that interactions between
asbestos and other factors play a considerable role in the
pathogenesis of asbestos-related mesothelioma.
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Med Lav 1997 Jul-Aug;88(4):310-5 |
| 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 . |
| Ralls statement that countervailing human data on the carcinogenic effects of
chrysotile asbestos (including large numbers of mesotheliomas among Canadians)
exist is reminiscent of a similar claim by Nicholson et al. (7) in which his
exaggerated numbers were correctly put into perspective by the epidemiologists
studying the Canadian workers (8). His unreferenced conclusion that
mesotheliomas are largely from chrysotile exposure in insulation workers and
family members who were exposed to low doses ignores the fact that these
individuals encountered mixed exposures to chrysotile and amphiboles at much
higher concentrations than levels of asbestos (predominantly chrysotile)
occurring in homes and public buildings today. Moreover, Rall does not
acknowledge the significant content of amphibole fibers in the lungs of these
workers (9) as well as recent studies showing a correlation between the lung
burden of tremolite, but not chrysotile, in the lungs of Canadian miners with
mesothelioma (. |
| Dr. Finkelstein also cited five cases of mesothelioma among former
Holmes workers. Three of the five workers died at less than fifty years
of age and all were less than sixty years old! |
| AIM AND BACKGROUND: To evaluate the characteristics of a case-series
of 79 malignant mesothelioma patients collected
from the main teaching hospital of Rome, Italy, and other local
clinics of Latium Region and to assess the role of asbestos
exposure, since previous studies on the occurrence of the disease in
this area were lacking. METHODS: The study included
cytohistologically diagnosed malignant mesothelioma (71 pleural, 7
peritoneal, and 1 testicular tunica lis) detected or
referred for consultation during the period 1980-1995. Information
regarding occupational and/or nonoccupational exposures
was derived from clinical records and interviews, when available.
RESULTS: Patients were resident in Rome and other towns
of Latium; a few were from other parts of central and southern Italy.
Exposure to asbestos was assessed for 45.5% of patients,
another 45.5% had unknown exposure, and for the remaining 9% such
info. |
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