TY - JOUR
T1 - Non-occupational exposure to asbestos is the main cause of malignant mesothelioma in women in North Jutland, Denmark
AU - Panou, Vasiliki
AU - Vyberg, Mogens
AU - Meristoudis, Christos
AU - Hansen, Johnni
AU - Bøgsted, Martin
AU - Omland, Øyvind
AU - Weinreich, Ulla Møller
AU - Røe, Oluf Dimitri
PY - 2019/1
Y1 - 2019/1
N2 - Objectives Diffuse malignant mesothelioma (MM) is mainly caused by asbestos inhalation. The malignancy is rare among women and studies of the prevalence and causative role of non-occupational asbestos exposure among women with MM are scarce. This observational study aimed to elucidate the asbestos exposure patterns among women with MM. Methods All histological and cytological specimens from women diagnosed with MM between 1974–2015 at the Institute of Pathology, Aalborg University Hospital in Denmark, were re-evaluated. Occupational and habitation information were obtained from Danish registries and medical journals based on record linkage via the unique person ID. The number of MM cases in each parish in the region of North Jutland was determined and the incidence density in parishes was used to calculate the spatial relative risk (RR) of MM among women. Results Diagnosis of MM was confirmed in 91 women. Exposure types were classified as occupational (9%), domestic (10%), environmental (22%), combination of domestic and environmental (34%) and unknown (25%). Twenty continuous parishes formed a MM “hotspot” around the asbestos-consuming industries in the city of Aalborg. Of these, the maximum RR was found in a parish housing an asbestos factory [RR 10.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.5–19.4, environmental exposure in particular RR 2.9, 95% CI 0.7–9.1]. Conclusion Non-occupational asbestos exposure is the main cause of MM and may account for up to 66% of MM cases among women in North Jutland, Denmark.
AB - Objectives Diffuse malignant mesothelioma (MM) is mainly caused by asbestos inhalation. The malignancy is rare among women and studies of the prevalence and causative role of non-occupational asbestos exposure among women with MM are scarce. This observational study aimed to elucidate the asbestos exposure patterns among women with MM. Methods All histological and cytological specimens from women diagnosed with MM between 1974–2015 at the Institute of Pathology, Aalborg University Hospital in Denmark, were re-evaluated. Occupational and habitation information were obtained from Danish registries and medical journals based on record linkage via the unique person ID. The number of MM cases in each parish in the region of North Jutland was determined and the incidence density in parishes was used to calculate the spatial relative risk (RR) of MM among women. Results Diagnosis of MM was confirmed in 91 women. Exposure types were classified as occupational (9%), domestic (10%), environmental (22%), combination of domestic and environmental (34%) and unknown (25%). Twenty continuous parishes formed a MM “hotspot” around the asbestos-consuming industries in the city of Aalborg. Of these, the maximum RR was found in a parish housing an asbestos factory [RR 10.5, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.5–19.4, environmental exposure in particular RR 2.9, 95% CI 0.7–9.1]. Conclusion Non-occupational asbestos exposure is the main cause of MM and may account for up to 66% of MM cases among women in North Jutland, Denmark.
KW - Asbestos exposure
KW - Asbestos industry
KW - Hotspot
KW - Risk for malignant mesothelioma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85059462815&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.5271/sjweh.3756
DO - 10.5271/sjweh.3756
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 30025147
SN - 0355-3140
VL - 45
SP - 82
EP - 89
JO - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
JF - Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
IS - 1
ER -