Malignant mesothelioma in 91 danish women: The environmental asbestos exposure.

8560 Background: Malignant Mesothelioma (MM) is an asbestos-related malignancy that presents mainly in the pleura (MPM) and peritoneum (MAM). In a densely populated area of Aalborg city in North Jutland, Denmark, a large Eternit asbestos factory that was active for 60 years until 1986 and two shipyards were situated. The Region of North Jutland, Denmark has a high mm incidence in women of 1.0/100,000. Methods: From 1974-2015, 101 histological and cytological samples of women diagnosed with mm in Aalborg University Hospital were identified re-evaluated by modern immunohistochemistry. Patient information regarding asbestos exposure was retrieved from medical records and selected Danish registries. Asbestos exposure was classified as primary for asbestos workers; domestic, for women living with an asbestos worker; environmental, when living or working within 10.000 meters from an asbestos emitting location; unknown, where no source of asbestos exposure could be identified. Results: Clinical and histopathological mm diagnosis was certain for 91 women. Potential asbestos exposure is summarized in Table 1. The employment of the women and their relatives include work at the asbestos cement factory, shipyard, construction, laboratory, pipe factory, electrician and insulator. The women with domestic and combined domestic and environmental (secondary) exposure to asbestos were most prone to develop MPM rather than MAM while women primary exposed to asbestos developed MAM rather than MPM (p=0.016). Conclusions: This study showed that the vast majority (64%) of the women diagnosed with mm had documented non-occupational asbestos exposure and almost 1/5 had a sole environmental exposure, by living in proximity to asbestos industry. Environmental asbestos exposure is a serious risk factor for mm in women. Primary asbestos exposure, inferring more intense exposure through occupation, may predispose to peritoneal mesothelioma in women. [Table: see text]

The Latrobe Valley: Perspectives on Asbestos Issues

The texts of two public addresses by a community advocate, Vicki Hamilton, and former asbestos worker, Geoff Swayn, are profiled in this issue's Voices section. Each articulates, in their own words, the need for continuing efforts to address the health and social impacts of Australia's ongoing asbestos disease epidemic, including the need for healing at the community and societal levels that parallel the needs of affected individuals and families. Their messages are relevant to similarly affected communities and societies internationally, particularly in relation to the need to reinvigorate societal commitment to occupational health and safety in Australia and elsewhere.