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Dodson RF, Moline J, Salinas CD, Poye LW. Elongated particulate burden in an individual who died of mesothelioma and had an occupational history as a talc "mucker". Inhal Toxicol 2024; 36:205-216. [PMID: 38502172 DOI: 10.1080/08958378.2024.2329935] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Tissue from a 77-year-old man diagnosed with mesothelioma was referred with a request for identification of the presence of fibrous structures in tissue samples. The individual's work history including working as a "mucker" at a specific "industrial" talc mine. METHODS Ferruginous bodies in the tissue digests as well as asbestos fibers were found. A bulk sample of a talc containing product from that mine was also analyzed. DISCUSSIONS/CONCLUSIONS The correlation between the unique asbestos mineral/fibrous content of the talc to which he was exposed and findings of the same type of asbestos found in his lung is discussed. The type of asbestos found (tremolite) is a "non-commercial" type of asbestos that has been identified in some talc deposits. Tremolite, like all forms of asbestos is a causative agent for mesothelioma-the disease from which this individual suffered.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacqueline Moline
- Northwell Health, Department of Occupational Medicine, Epidemiology and Prevention, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Great Neck, New York, USA
| | | | - Lee W Poye
- Eurofins J3 Resources, Inc, Houston, Texas, USA
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2
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Bruno MR, Cannizzaro A, Olori A, Tombolini F, Angelosanto F, Sinopoli F, Bruni BM, Casalinuovo F, Campopiano A. Size characteristics of asbestiform fibers in lung tissue of animals that grazed in areas rich in ophiolitic outcrops in Central Calabria (Southern Italy). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 856:159061. [PMID: 36181817 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
In Calabria (Southern Italy) naturally occurring asbestos (NOA) mainly occurs in the ophiolitic sequences cropping in the Mount Reventino area. The most common type of asbestos detected was the amphibole tremolite; fibrous antigorite and minor chrysotile were also found. The development of asbestos-related diseases depends on, among other things, the morphological characteristics of fibers, length and width, affecting the durability of asbestos fibers in the lung. In this work fifteen lung samples of sheep, goats and wild boars, grazing around the Mount Reventino area were collected and asbestos fibers analysed. Observed fibers (357), of which 97 % were tremolite and 3 % antigorite fibers, were grouped according to species, grazing area and age of the animals. The aim of this work was to highlight any differences among the groupings and to compare our size results with data in literature related to exposed populations. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) highlighted a positive correlation between tremolite fiber length and width and revealed groupings in terms of animal age. The Kruskal-Wallis test showed statistically significant differences between fiber mean widths in young and old animals. 63 % observed asbestiform fibers were longer than 5 μm and 7 % of the fibers were longer than 20 μm (critical fiber length connected to the frustrated phagocytosis by the macrophage). Fibers conforming to the Stanton Hypothesis size (predictor of the carcinogenic potency of fibers) were 1 %. Our size parameters of fibers detected in the animal lungs were in fairly good agreement with literature data for human asbestos exposure to tremolite. These results confirmed that an animal-sentinel system could be used to monitor the natural background of the airborne breathable fibers exposure. In addition, the size correlation of animal-human breathed fibers could be useful to study their potential toxicity. Additional data are necessary for improving the agreement with human exposure data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Rosaria Bruno
- National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Department of Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy.
| | - Annapaola Cannizzaro
- National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Department of Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, via Fontana Candida 1, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
| | - Angelo Olori
- National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Department of Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, via Fontana Candida 1, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
| | - Francesca Tombolini
- National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Department of Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, via Fontana Candida 1, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
| | - Federica Angelosanto
- National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Department of Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, via Fontana Candida 1, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
| | - Francesco Sinopoli
- National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Department of Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, Lamezia Terme, Catanzaro, Italy.
| | - Biagio Maria Bruni
- National Health Institute (ISS), Department of Environment and Health, Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Antonella Campopiano
- National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL), Department of Medicine, Epidemiology, Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, via Fontana Candida 1, 00078 Monte Porzio Catone, Rome, Italy.
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE To describe 33 cases of malignant mesothelioma among individuals with no known asbestos exposure other than cosmetic talcum powder. METHODS Cases were referred for medico-legal evaluation, and tissue digestions were performed in some cases. Tissue digestion for the six cases described was done according to standard methodology. RESULTS Asbestos of the type found in talcum powder was found in all six cases evaluated. Talcum powder usage was the only source of asbestos for all 33 cases. CONCLUSIONS Exposure to asbestos-contaminated talcum powders can cause mesothelioma. Clinicians should elicit a history of talcum powder usage in all patients presenting with mesothelioma.
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Dodson RF, Black B, Poye LW, Bruce JR, McNew T. A clinical evaluation and tissue fiber burden analysis of a lifetime resident of Libby, Montana with adenocarcinoma of the lung. Am J Ind Med 2020; 63:456-462. [PMID: 32068291 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.23096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Vermiculite mining operations near Libby, Montana were active from the 1920s to 1990. Rail facilities for shipment of the mined material as well as some vermiculite processing activities were ongoing within the community of Libby. A fibrous component within the mined material has been associated with asbestos-related diseases in vermiculite miners and in the local citizens of the community. CLINICAL HISTORY/METHODS We present a clinical case history and tissue fiber burden analysis of an individual with a multifocal adenocarcinoma of the lung who was a lifelong resident of Libby and whose history of exposure was as a member of the general population there. RESULTS/DISCUSSION To our knowledge this is the first time tissue from a member of the general population of Libby, Montana has been evaluated and shown to contain an appreciable presence of "Libby amphibole" fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brad Black
- Center for Asbestos Related Disease Libby Montana
| | | | | | - Tracy McNew
- Center for Asbestos Related Disease Libby Montana
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Incharoen P, Hama T, Arsa L, Kamprerasart K, Wongwichai S, Bovornkitti S. Asbestos Bodies Burden in the Autopsy Lung Tissue from General Thai Population. Open Respir Med J 2019; 13:5-10. [PMID: 31929836 PMCID: PMC6935945 DOI: 10.2174/1874306401913010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2018] [Revised: 04/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chrysotile asbestos has been used in Thailand for over 30 years mainly in asbestos-cement wall and roof tiles. In non-exposed subject, asbestos fiber can contaminate in ambient indoor and outdoor environments. Objective The aim of the present study is to evaluate the current prevalence and volume of AB load in general Thai population. Methods Lung tissues were obtained from 200 autopsy cases. Asbestos Bodies (AB) were identified with light microscopy using the tissue digestion and membrane filtration method. Results are reported as AB/g wet lung tissue. Results AB was identified in 97(48.5%) out of 200 cases. The AB level ranged from 0.19-14.4 AB/g wet lung. Most of the positive cases (99%) have less than 10 AB/g wet lung. Only one case exhibited a high value at 14.4 AB/g wet lung. Age, gender, occupation and hometown were found to have no effect on AB burden in autopsy lung tissue from this study. Conclusion The prevalence of AB in autopsy lung tissue from general Thai population is 48.5% and the AB level ranges from 0-14.4 AB/g wet lung in consistent with non-occupational asbestos exposure level regarding several reference reports.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pimpin Incharoen
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Tuanseeta Hama
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Lalida Arsa
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Kaettipong Kamprerasart
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sompong Wongwichai
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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6
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Black B, Dodson RF, Bruce JR, Poye LW, Henschke C, Loewen G. A clinical assessment and lung tissue burden from an individual who worked as a Libby vermiculite miner. Inhal Toxicol 2017; 29:404-413. [DOI: 10.1080/08958378.2017.1372536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Brad Black
- Center for Asbestos Related Disease, Libby, MT, USA
| | | | | | | | - Claudia Henschke
- Department of Radiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
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SUZUKI T, SAKAKIBARA Y, HISANAGA N, SAKAI K, YU IJ, LIM HS, MIKAMO H, SENO H, KOBAYASHI F, SHIBATA E. The association among ferruginous body, uncoated fibers, asbestos and non-asbestos fibers in lung tissue in terms of length. INDUSTRIAL HEALTH 2016; 54:370-376. [PMID: 27021059 PMCID: PMC4963550 DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.2015-0159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 02/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
To demonstrate the correlations between the concentrations of ferruginous body as well as uncoated fiber both of which can be observed with phase-contrast microscope and the concentration of various inorganic fibers including asbestos which requires the observation with TEM or SEM, we measured those indices among Japanese and Korean cases. Though the concentration of ferruginous body in lung tissue is an important index of asbestos exposure, uncoated fibers observed with phase-contrast microscope might be another index especially in such cases with relatively low exposure due to their history of living in a general environment. However, to establish the reliability of uncoated fibers as an index of asbestos exposure, analysis with more cases and from various backgrounds must be carried out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayoshi SUZUKI
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
- Department of Legal Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Yoko SAKAKIBARA
- Center for Health and Environment, Aichi University of Education, Japan
| | | | | | - Il-Je YU
- Institute of Nanoproduct Safety Research, Hoseo University, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyun-Sul LIM
- Department of Preventive Medicine, College of Medicine, Dongguk University, Korea
| | - Hiroshige MIKAMO
- Department of Infection Control and Prevention, Aichi Medical University Hospital, Japan
| | - Hiroshi SENO
- Department of Legal Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Fumio KOBAYASHI
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Eiji SHIBATA
- Department of Health and Psychosocial Medicine, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Japan
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Gaffney SH, Grespin M, Garnick L, Drechsel DA, Hazan R, Paustenbach DJ, Simmons BD. Anthophyllite asbestos: state of the science review. J Appl Toxicol 2016; 37:38-49. [PMID: 27397058 DOI: 10.1002/jat.3356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Anthophyllite is an amphibole form of asbestos historically used in only a limited number of products. No published resource currently exists that offers a complete overview of anthophyllite toxicity or of its effects on exposed human populations. We performed a review focusing on how anthophyllite toxicity was understood over time by conducting a comprehensive search of publicly available documents that discussed the use, mining, properties, toxicity, exposure and potential health effects of anthophyllite. Over 200 documents were identified; 114 contained relevant and useful information which we present chronologically in this assessment. Our analysis confirms that anthophyllite toxicity has not been well studied compared to other asbestos types. We found that toxicology studies in animals from the 1970s onward have indicated that, at sufficient doses, anthophyllite can cause asbestosis, lung cancer and mesothelioma. Studies of Finnish anthophyllite miners, conducted in the 1970s, found an increased incidence of asbestosis and lung cancer, but not mesothelioma. Not until the mid-1990s was an epidemiological link with mesothelioma in humans observed. Its presence in talc has been of recent significance in relation to potential asbestos exposure through the use of talc-containing products. Characterizing the health risks of anthophyllite is difficult, and distinguishing between its asbestiform and non-asbestiform mineral form is essential from both a toxicological and regulatory perspective. Anthophyllite toxicity has generally been assumed to be similar to other amphiboles from a regulatory standpoint, but some notable exceptions exist. In order to reach a more clear understanding of anthophyllite toxicity, significant additional study is needed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rebecca Hazan
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan, School of Public Health, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
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9
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Casali M, Carugno M, Cattaneo A, Consonni D, Mensi C, Genovese U, Cavallo DM, Somigliana A, Pesatori AC. Asbestos Lung Burden in Necroscopic Samples from the General Population of Milan, Italy. ANNALS OF OCCUPATIONAL HYGIENE 2015; 59:909-21. [PMID: 25878166 DOI: 10.1093/annhyg/mev028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The present study analysed the asbestos lung burden in necroscopic samples from 55 subjects free from asbestos-related diseases, collected between 2009 and 2011 in Milan, Italy. Multiple lung samples were analysed by light microscopy (asbestos bodies, AB) and EDXA-scanning electron microscopy (asbestos fibres and other inorganic fibres). Asbestos fibres were detected in 35 (63.6%) subjects, with a higher frequency for amphiboles than for chrysotile. Commercial (CA) and non-commercial amphiboles (NCA) were found in roughly similar frequencies. The estimated median value was 0.11 million fibres per gram of dry lung tissue (mf g(-1)) for all asbestos, 0.09 mf g(-1) for amphiboles. In 44 (80.0%) subjects no chrysotile fibres were detected. A negative relationship between asbestos mass-weighted fibre count and year of birth (and a corresponding positive increase with age) was observed for amphiboles [-4.15%, 95% confidence interval (CI) = -5.89 to -2.37], talc (-2.12%, 95% CI = -3.94 to -0.28), and Ti-rich fibres (-3.10%, 95% CI = -5.54 to -0.60), but not for chrysotile (-2.84%, 95% CI = -7.69 to 2.27). Residential district, birthplace, and smoking habit did not affect the lung burden of asbestos or inorganic fibres. Females showed higher burden only for amphiboles (0.12 versus 0.03 mf g(-1) in males, P = 0.07) and talc fibres (0.14 versus 0 mf g(-1) in males, P = 0.03). Chrysotile fibres were shorter and thinner than amphibole fibres and NCA fibres were thicker than CA ones. The AB prevalence was 16.4% (nine subjects) with concentrations ranging from 10 to 110 AB g(-1) dry, well below the 1000 AB g(-1) threshold for establishing occupational exposure. No AB were found in subjects younger than 30 years. Our study demonstrated detectable levels of asbestos fibres in a sample taken from the general population. The significant increase with age confirmed that amphibole fibres are the most representative of cumulative exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelangelo Casali
- 1.Institute of Forensic Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Carugno
- 2.Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Cattaneo
- 3.Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Dario Consonni
- 4.Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Carolina Mensi
- 4.Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
| | - Umberto Genovese
- 1.Institute of Forensic Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Domenico Maria Cavallo
- 3.Department of Science and High Technology, Università degli Studi dell'Insubria, 22100 Como, Italy
| | - Anna Somigliana
- 5.Centre of Electron Microscopy, Lombardy Environmental Protection Agency (ARPA), 20124 Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Cecilia Pesatori
- 2.Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20122 Milan, Italy 4.Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCCS Ca' Granda-Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, 20122 Milan, Italy
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10
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Wylie AG, Candela PA. Methodologies for determining the sources, characteristics, distribution, and abundance of asbestiform and nonasbestiform amphibole and serpentine in ambient air and water. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2015; 18:1-42. [PMID: 25825806 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2014.997945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic and nonanthropogenic (erosion) processes contribute to the continuing presence of asbestos and nonasbestos elongated mineral particles (EMP) of amphibole and serpentine in air and water of urban, rural, and remote environments. The anthropogenic processes include disturbance and deterioration of asbestos-containing materials, mining of amphibole- and serpentine-bearing rock, and disturbance of soils containing amphibole and serpentine. Atmospheric dispersal processes can transport EMP on a global scale. There are many methods of establishing the abundance of EMP in air and water. EMP include cleavage fragments, fibers, asbestos, and other asbestiform minerals, and the methods employed do not critically distinguish among them. The results of most of the protocols are expressed in the common unit of fibers per square centimeter; however, seven different definitions for the term "fiber" are employed and the results are not comparable. The phase-contrast optical method used for occupational monitoring cannot identify particles being measured, and none of the methods distinguish amphibole asbestos from other EMP of amphibole. Measured ambient concentrations of airborne EMP are low, and variance may be high, even for similar environments, yielding data of questionable value for risk assessment. Calculations based on the abundance of amphibole-bearing rock and estimates of asbestos in the conterminous United States suggest that amphibole may be found in 6-10% of the land area; nonanthropogenic erosional processes might produce on the order of 400,000 tons or more of amphibole per year, and approximately 50 g asbestos/km(2)/yr; and the order of magnitude of the likelihood of encountering rock bearing any type of asbestos is approximately 0.0001.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann G Wylie
- a Laboratory for Mineral Deposits Research, Department of Geology , University of Maryland , College Park , Maryland , USA
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11
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Dodson RF, Hammar SP. Analysis of asbestos concentration in 20 cases of pseudomesotheliomatous lung cancer. Ultrastruct Pathol 2014; 39:13-22. [PMID: 24830353 DOI: 10.3109/01913123.2014.906525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Mesothelioma is a rare neoplasm caused by asbestos exposure. The majority of mesotheliomas arise from the pleural lining of the thoracic cavity, but also involve the peritoneal and pericardial cavities. Another type of neoplasm referred to as pseudomesotheliomatous adenocarcinoma is rare. Most "pseudomesotheliomas" arise in the pleural tissue of the chest cavity and resemble pleural mesotheliomas, macroscopically and histologically. While most arise in the pleura, there are some that metastasize to the pleura from another site. We evaluated asbestos fiber concentrations in 20 cases of pseudomesotheliomatous lung cancer and found a significant number to contain an elevated concentration of asbestos in their lung tissue, which is similar with our study of 55 mesothelioma cases published in 1997. This would provide evidence that some pseudomesotheliomatous lung cancers are caused by asbestos.
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12
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Dodson RF, Mark EJ, Poye LW. Biodurability/Retention of Libby Amphiboles in a Case of Mesothelioma. Ultrastruct Pathol 2013; 38:45-51. [DOI: 10.3109/01913123.2013.821194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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13
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Villeda-Cuevas D, Quintero-Casas D, Rivera-Rosales RM, Eguía-Aguilar P, Perezpeña-Diazconti M, Arenas-Huertero F. Elemental composition of ferruginous bodies and occupational categories: analyses and case studies in Mexico. Inhal Toxicol 2012; 24:201-12. [PMID: 22429141 DOI: 10.3109/08958378.2012.657307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Inorganic fibers form part of the complex mixture of environmental pollutants in Mexico City and in general locations. Upon entering the lungs, some of those fibers are transformed into ferruginous bodies (FB) that can be used as biological markers of exposure to fibers. Hence, the objectives of this study were, first, to describe the most frequent types of FB found in the lungs, and second, to determine the elemental composition of the cores of some of those FB. A total of 264 lung samples collected from autopsies performed at the National Institutes of Health in Mexico City were analyzed. The FB were obtained by digesting the samples in commercial bleach and all the FB were then collected in 0.45 µm Millipore membranes. All the FB obtained from each case were counted directly under bright field microscopy, and then classified by morphology. Results showed from 14.5 FB/g in Category 1 (housewives), to 50.2 FB/g for samples from Category 5 (construction workers), and 152 FB/g for Category 6 (miners). Significant differences were found upon comparing samples from Categories 5/6 to Category 1 (p < 0.05). Type 1 FB were the most frequent ones seen in the samples from Categories 1 to 5. Elemental analyses of the cores of several FB found aluminosilicates, fiberglass, tremolite and amosite asbestos among others. In conclusion, residents of Mexico show exposures to a variety of fibers that induce FB including asbestos.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Villeda-Cuevas
- Departamento de Patología, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez, México D.F., Mexico
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14
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Neumann V, Löseke S, Tannapfel A. Mesothelioma and analysis of tissue fiber content. Recent Results Cancer Res 2011; 189:79-95. [PMID: 21479897 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-642-10862-4_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The strong relationship between mesothelioma and asbestos exposure is well established. The analysis of lung asbestos burden by light and electron microscopy assisted to understand the increased incidence of mesothelioma in asbestos mining and consuming nations.The data on the occupational exposure to asbestos are important information for the purpose of compensation of occupational disease No. 4105 (asbestos-associated mesothelioma) in Germany.However, in many cases the patients have forgotten conditions of asbestos exposure or had no knowledge about the used materials with components of asbestos. Mineral fiber analysis can provide valuable information for the research of asbestos-associated diseases and for the assessment of exposure. Because of the variability of asbestos exposure and long latency periods, the analysis of asbestos lung content is a relevant method for identification of asbestos-associated diseases. Also, sources of secondary exposure, so called "bystander exposition" or environmental exposure can be examined by mineral fiber analysis.Household contacts to asbestos are known for ten patients (1987-2009) in the German mesothelioma register; these patients lived together with family members working in the asbestos manufacturing industry.Analysis of lung tissue for asbestos burden offers information on the past exposure. The predominant fiber-type identified by electron microscopy in patients with mesothelioma is amphibole asbestos (crocidolite or amosite). Latency times (mean 42.5 years) and mean age at the time of diagnose in patients with mesothelioma are increasing (65.5 years). The decrease of median asbestos burden of the lung in mesothelioma patients results in disease manifestation at a higher age.Lung dust analyses are a relevant method for the determination of causation in mesothelioma. Analysis of asbestos burden of the lung and of fiber type provides insights into the pathogenesis of malignant mesothelioma. The most important causal factor for the development of mesothelioma is still asbestos exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Volker Neumann
- German Mesothelioma Register, University Hospital Bergmannsheil, Bochum, Germany.
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15
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Case BW, Abraham JL, Meeker G, Pooley FD, Pinkerton KE. Applying definitions of "asbestos" to environmental and "low-dose" exposure levels and health effects, particularly malignant mesothelioma. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2011; 14:3-39. [PMID: 21534084 PMCID: PMC3118487 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2011.556045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Although asbestos research has been ongoing for decades, this increased knowledge has not led to consensus in many areas of the field. Two such areas of controversy include the specific definitions of asbestos, and limitations in understanding exposure-response relationships for various asbestos types and exposure levels and disease. This document reviews the current regulatory and mineralogical definitions and how variability in these definitions has led to difficulties in the discussion and comparison of both experimental laboratory and human epidemiological studies for asbestos. This review also examines the issues of exposure measurement in both animal and human studies, and discusses the impact of these issues on determination of cause for asbestos-related diseases. Limitations include the lack of detailed characterization and limited quantification of the fibers in most studies. Associated data gaps and research needs are also enumerated in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- B W Case
- Department of Pathology and School of Environment, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
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16
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Dodson RF, Brooks DR, O'Sullivan M, Hammar SP. Quantitative Analysis of Asbestos Burden in a Series of Individuals with Lung Cancer and a History of Exposure to Asbestos. Inhal Toxicol 2008; 16:637-47. [PMID: 16036755 DOI: 10.1080/08958370490464652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Asbestos is recognized as a lung carcinogen. In the present study, tissue from 20 individuals who died from lung cancer and who had a history of exposure to asbestos was evaluated for the presence of asbestos bodies and uncoated asbestos fibers. A digestion procedure was used to isolate the particulates from the tissue. The samples were evaluated by light microcopy to quantify the numbers of ferruginous bodies in the tissue. The uncoated fibers (which included all fibers equal to or greater than 0.5 microm) were analyzed by analytical transmission electron microscopy. Seventeen of the 20 cases were positive for ferruginous bodies (which were morphologically consistent with asbestos bodies). Five of these were found to have concentrations within the range used in our laboratory for the general population (<20 ferruginous bodies/g wet tissue). Nineteen of the 20 cases were found to have asbestos fibers in the higher magnification scan (either 16 K or 20 K). Some of the asbestos fibers identified were specific for the types of exposures that were reported. Most individuals in this study were found to have mixed populations of asbestos fibers in the lung tissue. This suggests that when there are exposures to products containing commercial asbestos there are likely exposures to dust containing noncommercial asbestos. A contrast exists in the dust burden within the lung of these individuals as compared to samples from the general population in that occupational or "occupational-like" exposures such as in these cases are often reflected by the presence of longer fibers of asbestos in the tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald F Dodson
- University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, Tyler, Texas 75708, USA.
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Dodson RF, Hammar SP, Poye LW. A Technical Comparison of Evaluating Asbestos Concentration by Phase-Contrast Microscopy (PCM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Analytical Transmission Electron Microscopy (ATEM) as Illustrated From Data Generated From a Case Report. Inhal Toxicol 2008; 20:723-32. [DOI: 10.1080/08958370701883250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Laucirica R, Ostrowski ML. Cytology of nonneoplastic occupational and environmental diseases of the lung and pleura. Arch Pathol Lab Med 2007; 131:1700-8. [PMID: 17979490 DOI: 10.5858/2007-131-1700-conoae] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/05/2007] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
CONTEXT Cytologic examination of the respiratory tract has been a useful diagnostic tool when evaluating neoplastic lesions of the respiratory tract. However, we have limited experience in the application of this technique in the management of nonneoplastic occupational and environmental diseases of the lung and pleura. This review focuses on the cytologic characteristics of a variety of occupational lung diseases, grouping them into 2 broad diagnostic categories: reactive cellular changes and noncellular elements. The former includes entities such as reactive mesothelial proliferation, goblet cell metaplasia, Creola bodies, and reserve cell hyperplasia, and the latter encompasses Curschmann spirals, Charcot-Leyden crystals, and asbestos bodies. OBJECTIVE To illustrate the cytologic features of several nonneoplastic occupational and environmental diseases and correlate the cytology with various etiologic agents. DATA SOURCES Case-derived material and literature review. CONCLUSIONS The role of cytology in the diagnosis of nonneoplastic occupational and environmental lung diseases is limited. This may be because more than one agent can elicit a similar host reaction and/or the offending agent can be associated with more than one pathologic process. However, in the appropriate clinical and radiographic setting, the cytology can render valuable diagnostic information. Examples include pulmonary alveolar proteinosis in patients with acute silicoproteinosis and asbestos bodies in bronchoalveolar lavage samples of patients with asbestos exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Laucirica
- Department of Pathology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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Abstract
Asbestos inhaled into the lung is recognized as a potential causal agent for the development of diseases in man. The diseases induced by asbestos include lung cancer, fibrosis of the lung (asbestosis), and extrapulmonary tumors including mesothelioma (a tumor of the serosal membrane), as well as fibrosis and other changes in the pleura linings. The cause of these diseases can often be more specifically linked to asbestos exposure once tissue burden of asbestos is established. The asbestos burden in tissue can be defined as the number of asbestos bodies and/or the numbers and types of asbestos fibers found in the tissue. In either of these cases the quality of information is directly dependent on the preparative techniques and instrumentation used in the analysis. The present article will discuss the significance of findings of tissue burden based on both these variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald F Dodson
- ERI Consulting, Inc., 2026 Republic Drive, SteA, Tyler, TX 75701, USA.
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Dodson RF, Hammar SP. Pleural mesothelioma in a woman whose documented past exposure to asbestos was from smoking asbestos-containing filtered cigarettes: the comparative value of analytical transmission electron microscopic analysis of lung and lymph-node tissue. Inhal Toxicol 2006; 18:679-84. [PMID: 16864558 DOI: 10.1080/08958370600743068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Asbestos has had many commercial applications, including its use as a major component in various types of filters. Between 1952 and 1956, crocidolite asbestos was used as a component of filters for cigarettes, reportedly greatly reducing tars and nicotine from mainstream smoke. This case report quantifies asbestos burden in lung and lymph node tissue in a 67-yr-old woman who succumbed to mesothelioma. Her only historically documented exposure to asbestos was from smoking crocidolite asbestos-containing filtered cigarettes between 1952 and 1956. Tissue digestion analysis by analytical transmission electron microscopy (ATEM) identified crocidolite fibers in lungs and thoracic lymph nodes. Combined ATEM data of lung and lymph node tissue clarified the patient's exposure to asbestos and particularly to crocidolite asbestos and thus to the presence of an entity recognized as the causal agent for mesothelioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald F Dodson
- Dodson Environmental Consulting, Inc., and ERI Analytical, Tyler, Texas 75701, USA.
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Dodson RF, Graef R, Shepherd S, O'Sullivan M, Levin J. Asbestos burden in cases of mesothelioma from individuals from various regions of the United States. Ultrastruct Pathol 2005; 29:415-33. [PMID: 16257868 DOI: 10.1080/019131290945682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Mesothelioma is a rare tumor that is considered an asbestos marker disease. It occurs in individuals following a longer latency period from first exposure than other asbestos-related diseases. The tumor also occurs in individuals with a wide range of exposures, including individuals with lower level or secondary exposures. In the present study lung tissue from 54 individuals with a pathological diagnosis of mesothelioma was evaluated for ferruginous body and uncoated asbestos fiber content. The data were compared with an earlier study of mesothelioma cases from the northwestern United States. Tissue was prepared via a digestion procedure, with the collected digestate reviewed by light microscopy for quantification of asbestos bodies and analytical transmission electron microscopy for determination of uncoated fiber burden. Twenty-seven cases in the present study had over 1000 ferruginous bodies per gram of dry tissue. The data suggest that amosite provides a more likely stimulus for ferruginous coating than the other forms of asbestos. All individuals were found to have asbestos fibers in their lung tissue. Amosite was the most commonly found fiber, with anthophyllite being the second most commonly found type of asbestos. The finding of tremolite in the tissue most often was associated with the finding of anthophyllite. A limited number of asbestos fibers of each type would have been seen in the light microscope, with the least detected being chrysotile. The majority of all fiber types were found as short fibers (< 8 mum), although some longer fibers were represented in each type of asbestos. The majority of the individuals were found to have mixed types of asbestos in their lungs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald F Dodson
- The University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, Tyler, Texas, USA.
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Henderson DW, Rödelsperger K, Woitowitz HJ, Leigh J. After Helsinki: a multidisciplinary review of the relationship between asbestos exposure and lung cancer, with emphasis on studies published during 1997-2004. Pathology 2005; 36:517-50. [PMID: 15841689 DOI: 10.1080/00313020400010955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Despite an extensive literature, the relationship between asbestos exposure and lung cancer remains the subject of controversy, related to the fact that most asbestos-associated lung cancers occur in those who are also cigarette smokers: because smoking represents the strongest identifiable lung cancer risk factor among many others, and lung cancer is not uncommon across industrialised societies, analysis of the combined (synergistic) effects of smoking and asbestos on lung cancer risk is a more complex exercise than the relationship between asbestos inhalation and mesothelioma. As a follow-on from previous reviews of prevailing evidence, this review critically evaluates more recent studies on this relationship--concentrating on those published between 1997 and 2004--including lung cancer to mesothelioma ratios, the interactive effects of cigarette smoke and asbestos in combination, and the cumulative exposure model for lung cancer induction as set forth in The Helsinki Criteria and The AWARD Criteria (as opposed to the asbestosis-->cancer model), together with discussion of differential genetic susceptibility/resistance factors for lung carcinogenesis by both cigarette smoke and asbestos. The authors conclude that: (i) the prevailing evidence strongly supports the cumulative exposure model; (ii) the criteria for probabilistic attribution of lung cancer to mixed asbestos exposures as a consequence of the production and end-use of asbestos-containing products such as insulation and asbestos-cement building materials--as embodied in The Helsinki and AWARD Criteria--conform to, and are further consolidated by, the new evidence discussed in this review; (iii) different attribution criteria (e.g., greater cumulative exposures) are appropriate for chrysotile mining/milling and perhaps for other chrysotile-only exposures, such as friction products manufacture, than for amphibole-only exposures or mixed asbestos exposures; and (iv) emerging evidence on genetic susceptibility/resistance factors for lung cancer risk as a consequence of cigarette smoking, and potentially also asbestos exposure, suggests that genotypic variation may represent an additional confounding factor potentially affecting the strength of association and hence the probability of causal contribution in the individual subject, but at present there is insufficient evidence to draw any meaningful conclusions concerning variation in asbestos-mediated lung cancer risk relative to such resistance/susceptibility factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas W Henderson
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Flinders University and Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, Adelaide, South Australia.
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Rom WN, Hammar SP, Rusch V, Dodson R, Hoffman S. Malignant mesothelioma from neighborhood exposure to anthophyllite asbestos. Am J Ind Med 2001; 40:211-4. [PMID: 11494349 DOI: 10.1002/ajim.1089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anthophyllite asbestos has been reported to cause asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and pleural plaques in occupationally exposed workers. Anthophyllite has also been associated with pleural plaques in Finland and Japan among those who live near mines and mills and have neighborhood or environmental exposure. METHODS We evaluated a 38-year-old patient with pleural mesothelioma who lived, attended school, and delivered newspapers near a manufacturing facility that used exclusively anthophyllite asbestos fiber from ages 8-17 years. He had no work exposure to asbestos. RESULTS The pleural mesothelioma was an epithelial type with tubulopapillary structures and was treated with an extrapleural pneumonectomy followed by radiation therapy. The malignant cells were positive by immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin but negative for carcinoembryonic antigen, S100, B72.3, and leu M1 antigen. Anthophyllite fibers were > 5 microm in length in lung tissue compared to 3 microm from a general population study. CONCLUSIONS Anthophyllite asbestos has been associated with neighborhood environmental exposure and pleural plaques; we now report a neighborhood exposure and pleural mesothelioma.
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Affiliation(s)
- W N Rom
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, Bellevue, NY 10016, USA.
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Dodson RF, O'Sullivan MF, Brooks DR, Bruce JR. Asbestos content of omentum and mesentery in nonoccupationally exposed individuals. Toxicol Ind Health 2001; 17:138-43. [PMID: 12479509 DOI: 10.1191/0748233701th101oa] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Asbestos fibers in occupationally exposed individuals relocate from the lung to extrapulmonary sites. A mechanism for relocation is via the lymphatic circulation. Indeed, asbestos fibers have been found in lymph nodes as well as pleural plaques. Our laboratory has recently shown that asbestos fibers also reach the mesentery and omentum in the peritoneal area where a small percentage of mesotheliomas occurs in exposed individuals. The present study uses light and analytical transmission electron microscopy for defining the asbestos burden in digested lung, omentum, and mesentery tissues from individuals considered as representing the general population in East Texas. The findings, when compared with previous data from occupationally exposed individuals, indicate extreme contrasts as to the level and types of fiber burden between individuals representing the groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- R F Dodson
- The University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, Tyler, Texas 75708, USA.
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Procopio A, Strizzi L, Vianale G, Betta P, Puntoni R, Fontana V, Tassi G, Gareri F, Mutti L. Simian virus-40 sequences are a negative prognostic cofactor in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2000. [DOI: 10.1002/1098-2264(2000)9999:9999%3c::aid-gcc1019%3e3.0.co;2-b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
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Procopio A, Strizzi L, Vianale G, Betta P, Puntoni R, Fontana V, Tassi G, Gareri F, Mutti L. Simian virus-40 sequences are a negative prognostic cofactor in patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2000; 29:173-9. [PMID: 10959097 DOI: 10.1002/1098-2264(2000)9999:9999<::aid-gcc1019>3.0.co;2-b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Several biochemical and clinical factors have been shown to correlate with survival in human malignant pleural mesothelioma (MM). Nevertheless, average survival of 4 to 10 months from diagnosis is sometimes not sufficient for full expression of these factors. Several studies have reported SV40 sequences in MM, suggesting a possible pathogenic role. We investigated whether the presence of these sequences had any effect on MM patient survival. For this study, we used polymerase chain reaction and Southern blot analysis to search for and identify SV40 DNA in biopsy samples from 83 MM patients. These cases were divided according to histology: 62/83 (74. 7%) had epithelioid morphology (EMM) and 21/83 (25.3%) had either biphasic or sarcomatous morphology (B/SMM). SV40 positivity was significantly associated with B/SMM growth pattern (chi-squared test = 5.03, P = 0.025). Kaplan-Meier univariate analysis confirmed the independent effect of histology on MM survival (log-rank test = 13.9, P < 0.001) and showed a trend for increased survival in SV40-negative patients (log-rank test = 2.83, P = 0.09). Most importantly, Cox's regression model showed that SV40-positive status affected the predictive value of histology on patient survival. In particular, when SV40 expression was added to the B/SMM histotype, Cox's regression model showed a significant increase in hazard ratio (HR) with respect to SV40-negative B/SMM (HR = 4.25, 95% CI = 2.00-9. 00, likelihood ratio test = 14.31, P < 0.001). We conclude that SV40 expression is significantly associated with B/SMM histology and represents an important prognostic cofactor when associated with the tumor subtype in MM patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Procopio
- Department of Oncology and Neuroscience, Clinical Pathology Section and Mesothelioma Research Center, "G. D'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy
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Abstract
BACKGROUND The thoracic lymph nodes are a part of the clearance system from lung tissue. Accumulation of dust in these nodes are known to occur following some types of exposure. However, no information exists as to asbestos content in lymph nodes from the general population. METHODS The study cohort consisted of 21 individuals previously defined as nonoccupationally exposed to asbestos. Tissue burden of asbestos obtained from lung analysis by analytical electron microscopy was compared with burden in the lymph nodes. RESULTS No asbestos fibers were detected in nodes from 8 cases. The majority of the fibers found in lymph nodes were short (<5 microm) and most often noncommercial amphiboles. Ferruginous bodies (FBs) were detected in lymph node from only two samples. CONCLUSIONS The total asbestos burden in the lung tissue from these individuals was quite low. However, in 12 of the 13 cases that had positive nodes, the tissue burden in the node was appreciably heavier per gram than in the lung. This raises the question as to whether the lymph nodes, though less efficient clearance, may be better indicators of lifetime exposure to dust than lung tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- R F Dodson
- Department of Cell Biology and Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas Health Center at Tyler, 11937 U.S. Highway 271, Tyler, TX 75708, USA
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Levin JL, O'Sullivan MF, Corn CJ, Williams MG, Dodson RF. Asbestosis and small cell lung cancer in a clutch refabricator. Occup Environ Med 1999; 56:602-5. [PMID: 10615292 PMCID: PMC1757788 DOI: 10.1136/oem.56.9.602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To present a case of asbestosis and small cell lung cancer caused by asbestos in a clutch refabricator. METHODS Exposed surfaces of used clutches similar to those refabricated in the worker's workplace were rinsed, and the filtrate analysed by analytical transmission electron microscopy. Tissue samples were also analysed by this technique. RESULTS Numerous chrysotile fibres of respirable dimensions and sufficient length to form ferruginous bodies (FBs) were detected from rinsed filtrates of the clutch. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid contained many FBs, characteristic of asbestos bodies. Necropsy lung tissue showed grade 4 asbestosis and a small cell carcinoma in the right pulmonary hilum. Tissue analysis by light and analytical electron microscopy showed tissue burdens of coated and uncoated asbestos fibres greatly exceeding reported environmental concentrations (3810 FBs/g dry weight and 2,080,000 structures > or = 0.5 micron/g dry weight respectively). 72% Of the cores were identified as chrysotile. CONCLUSIONS Clutch refabrication may lead to exposure to asbestos of sufficient magnitude to cause asbestosis and lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Levin
- Department of Occupational Health Sciences, University of Texas Health Center, Tyler 75708-3154, USA.
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