title: [Is malignant mesothelioma of the pleura only an occupational disease?].
abstract: Ten cases of pleural malignant mesothelioma identified histologically at the Department of General Medicine in May 1983-June 1987, are examined in this paper. Occupational risk factors and clinical features are discussed. Only one patient (10%) was subjected to occupational risk of asbestos exposure (as a smith) while the other nine patients showed a negative anamnesis for direct or indirect asbestos exposure. However, one of these patients was a tram-driver. The patients' mean age was 69 years old. 7 patients were males. 7 patients were born in an industrialized urban environment, 3 were born in an agricultural environment: all had been living in Milan for many years. Pleural fluid cytology was only useful in the diagnosis of 2 cases. This study suggests that pleural malignant mesothelioma is a neoplasm which also affects people not exposed to asbestos at work and that its frequency is increasing. The most probable cause is environmental contamination by asbestos of urban industrialized areas. Thus, it is necessary to eliminate this mineral from all manufacturing processes in which asbestos is not indispensable.
authors.affiliation: Divisione Medica III, Ospedale Fatebenefratelli e Oftalmico, Milano.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Foresti
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Villa
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Scolari
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parisio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001194:Asbestos / Q000009:adverse effects; D004787:Environmental Pollution / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D010997:Pleural Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D001194:Asbestos
vernacular_title: Il mesotelioma maligno della pleura è solo una malattia professionale?