Asbestos Exposure, Pleural Plaques, and the Risk of Death from Lung Cancer

Asbestosis is a fibrotic pneumoconiosis resulting from the inhalation of asbestos fibers, most commonly from occupational exposure. Chest radiographs and high-resolution chest CT can detect asbestos-related disease. Pleural abnormalities include pleural plaques, pleural effusions, pleural thickening, and mesothelioma. Pleural plaques serve as a marker of asbestos exposure and are the most common imaging abnormality found in patients exposed to asbestos. Parenchymal-induced lung disease includes pulmonary fibrosis, known as asbestosis, rounded atelectasis, and lung cancer. Asbestos exposure leads to an increased risk of both lung cancer and especially mesothelioma, which is rare in the absence of asbestos exposure.

Download Full-text

Significant relationship between the extent of pleural plaques and pulmonary asbestos body concentration in lung cancer patients with occupational asbestos exposure

American Journal of Industrial Medicine ◽

10.1002/ajim.22430 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 58 (4) ◽

pp. 444-455 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Toshikazu Yusa ◽

Kenzo Hiroshima ◽

Fumikazu Sakai ◽

Takumi Kishimoto ◽

Kazuo Ohnishi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

Cancer Patients ◽

Significant Relationship ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Lung Cancer Patients ◽

Pleural Plaques ◽

Asbestos Body ◽

Body Concentration

Download Full-text

Lung Cancer Mortality Trends in a Brazilian City with a Long History of Asbestos Consumption

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16142548 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (14) ◽

pp. 2548 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Gisele Aparecida Fernandes ◽

Eduardo Algranti ◽

Gleice Margarete de Souza Conceição ◽

Victor Wünsch Filho ◽

Tatiana Natasha Toporcov

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

Cancer Mortality ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Lung Cancer Mortality ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Sao Paulo ◽

São Paulo ◽

Mortality Trends ◽

Risk Of Death ◽

Incidence And Mortality

There are scarce epidemiological studies on lung cancer mortality in areas exposed to asbestos in developing countries. We compared the rates and trends in mortality from lung cancer between 1980 and 2016 in a municipality that made extensive use of asbestos, Osasco, with rates from a referent municipality with lower asbestos exposure and with the rates for the State of São Paulo. We retrieved death records for cases of lung cancer (ICD-9 C162) (ICD-10 C33 C34) from 1980 to 2016 in adults aged 60 years and older. The join point regression and age-period-cohort models were fitted to the data. Among men, there was an increasing trend in lung cancer mortality in Osasco of 0.7% (CI: 0.1; 1.3) in contrast to a mean annual decrease for Sorocaba of -1.5% (CI: −2.4; −0.6) and a stable average trend for São Paulo of -0.1 (IC: −0.3; 0.1). Similar increasing trends were seen in women. The age-period-cohort model showed an increase in the risk of death from 1996 in Osasco and a reduction for Sorocaba and São Paulo State during the same period. Our results point to a need for a special monitoring regarding lung cancer incidence and mortality in areas with higher asbestos exposure.

Download Full-text

Asbestos-related diseases

The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease ◽

10.5588/ijtld.19.0645 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 24 (6) ◽

pp. 562-567 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

A. W. Musk ◽

N. de Klerk ◽

A. Reid ◽

J. Hui ◽

P. Franklin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

Early Stage ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Lung Parenchyma ◽

Lung Compliance ◽

Pleural Diseases ◽

Pleural Plaques ◽

Pleural Fibrosis ◽

Benign Pleural Effusion ◽

Low Dose Computed Tomography

Knowledge of asbestos-related diseases has been accumulating for over one hundred years as the industrial value of asbestos was recognised for the strength of its fibres and their resistance to destruction, resulting in increasing production and use until the multiple health effects have become apparent. Deposition in the lung parenchyma results in an inflammatory/progressively fibrotic response, with impaired gas exchange and reduced lung compliance (‘asbestosis'), causing progressive dyspnoea and respiratory failure for which only palliation is indicated, although anti-fibrotic agents used for idiopathic usual interstitial pneumonitis remain to be evaluated. Benign pleural effusion, diffuse pleural fibrosis (occasionally with associated rolled atelectasis) and pleural plaques are the non-malignant pleural diseases that result from fibres reaching the pleura. But the main issues that led to the ban on asbestos in industry are those of malignancy: lung cancer, malignant mesothelioma (MM) of the pleura and MM of the peritoneum. Bronchogenic carcinoma risk from asbestos exposure is dose-dependent and multiplies the risk attributable to tobacco smoking. The principles of treatment are as for all cases of lung cancer. Low-dose computed tomography screening of exposed people can detect early-stage, non-small cell cancers, with improved survival. The amphibole varieties of asbestos are much more potent causes of MM than chrysotile, and the risk increases exponentially for 40–50 years following first exposure. As MM is non-resectable and poorly responsive to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, curative treatment is not possible and screening not justified.

Download Full-text

An Operated Case of Lung Cancer with Pleural Plaques: Its Asbestos Bodies, Fiber Analysis and Asbestos Exposure.

Industrial Health ◽

10.2486/indhealth.39.194 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 39 (2) ◽

pp. 194-197 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Takesuke HIRAOKA ◽

Akira WATANABE ◽

Yasuhiro USUMA ◽

Takashi MORI ◽

Norihiko KOHYAMA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Pleural Plaques ◽

Fiber Analysis

Download Full-text

Potential risk of asbestos exposure among Japanese general population: Japanese general screening study for asbestos-related diseases (JGSARD).

Journal of Clinical Oncology ◽

10.1200/jco.2012.30.15_suppl.1530 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 30 (15_suppl) ◽

pp. 1530-1530 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nobuhiko Seki ◽

Takuhiro Yamaguchi ◽

Kenji Eguchi ◽

Masahiro Kaneko ◽

Masahiko Kusumoto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

General Population ◽

Potential Risk ◽

Low Dose ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

Low Dose Ct ◽

Pleural Plaque ◽

Pleural Plaques ◽

History Of ◽

Japanese General Population

1530 Background: The number of patients with pleural mesothelioma and lung cancer associated with asbestos exposure has recently been increasing in Japan. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of screening for asbestos-related diseases in a group of Japanese general population. Methods: This prospective study was approved by the institutional review board. From 2006 to 2008, 9810 subjects (5283 men and 4527 women; mean age, 57 years) underwent chest radiography and low-dose CT examinations in 26 institutions in Japan. Among them, 6286 (64.1%) subjects underwent subsequent CT examinations after 2 years of interval. Clinical information such as histories of smoking and asbestos exposure was reviewed. Images were interpreted independently by 15 experienced pulmonologists or chest radiologists. Results: The history of asbestos exposure was definitely present in 1253 (12.8%) subjects, possibly present in 2058 (21.0%), and absent in 6499 (66.2%). On chest radiograph, pleural plaque and thickening were seen in 61 (0.6%) and 65 (0.6%) subjects, respectively. On low-dose CT, pleural plaque and thickening were identified in 264 (2.7%) and 245 (2.5%) subjects, respectively, and non-calcified pulmonary nodule/mass was seen in 1003 (10.2%). Furthermore, lung cancer was identified in 29 (0.3%) subjects. The history of asbestos exposure was not confirmed in 77 out of 264 subjects (29.2%) having pleural plaques on low-dose CT. Based on the logistic regression analysis, pleural plaque on low-dose CT was significantly correlated with male, age more than 60 years, smoking, and a history of asbestos exposure. Especially, total residential period in asbestos factory area as well as asbestos exposure work period showed significantly increased relative risk every 10 years. Similarly, lung cancer was significantly correlated with age more than 60 years, a history of asbestos exposure, and presence of pleural plaques. Conclusions: Our results indicate the presence of pleural plaques on low-dose CT among Japanese general population is closely associated with potential risk of asbestos exposure. However, about 30% of such subjects are not aware of a history of asbestos exposure.

Download Full-text

Assessment of knowledge of oral health hygiene among coastal guards in the port trust of south Tamil Nadu - A public health awareness survey

International Journal of Research in Pharmaceutical Sciences ◽

10.26452/ijrps.v11ispl3.3560 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (SPL3) ◽

pp. 1861-1868

Author(s):

Bianca Princeton ◽

Abilasha R ◽

Preetha S

Keyword(s):

Lung Cancer ◽

Oral Health ◽

Oral Hygiene ◽

Tamil Nadu ◽

Asbestos Exposure ◽

The Other ◽

Oral Manifestations ◽

Illegal Activities ◽

The Right ◽

Oral Hygiene Habits

Oral hygiene is defined as the practice of keeping the mouth clean and healthy, by brushing and flossing to prevent the occurrence of any gum diseases like periodontitis or gingivitis. The main aim of oral health hygiene is to prevent the buildup of plaque, which is defined as a sticky film of bacteria and food formed on the teeth. The coastal guard is an official who is employed to watch the sea near a coast for ships that are in danger or involved with illegal activities. Coastal guards have high possibilities of being affected by mesothelioma or lung cancer due to asbestos exposure. So, a questionnaire consisting of 20 questions was created and circulated among a hundred participants who were coastal guards, through Google forms. The responses were recorded and tabulated in the form of bar graphs. Out of a hundred participants, 52.4% were not aware of the fact that coastal guards have high chances of developing lung cancer and Mesothelioma. 53.7% were aware of the other oral manifestations of lung cancer other than bleeding gums. Majority of the coastal guards feel that they are given enough information about dental hygiene protocols. Hence, to conclude, oral hygiene habits have to be elaborated using various tools in the right manner to ensure better health of teeth and gums.

Download Full-text